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सँटा मोनिका, मुसलमान लोकांचा धर्मगुरू (नोव्हेंबर 15, 2016) – Before the cage door closes या शनिवार सॅन जोस सॅप केंद्र येथे, the main and co-main event fighters from "Bellator 165: व्यापारी वि. हेंडरसन "participated in a media conference call. If you weren’t on the line, you can listen to it येथे, or read a couple of the quotes below.
"Bellator 165: व्यापारी वि. हेंडरसन " features current champion मायकेल मेणबत्त्या (15-3) विरुद्ध बेन्सन हेंडरसन (24-6) headlining भूमिका, while co-main event action will have undefeated British phenom मायकेल "विष" पृष्ठ (11-0) and California’s own फर्नांडोचा गोन्झालेझ (25-13) duke it out in a welterweight thriller. Bay Area’s own Keri Melendez makes her professional MMA debut, as does Kevin Ferguson Jr. better known as Kimbo Slice Jr.
The event airs LIVE and FREE at 9 p.m. आणि/8 p.m. CT on Spike and completes three consecutive weeks of championship fights on the Viacom-owned network. Tickets for the event remain on sale and can be purchased at Bellator.com, as well as SAP Center Box Office and Ticketmaster.
प्रश्न: For Benson…Is there any extra motivation to prove yourself in this fight after the way the last fight ended?
बेन्सन हेंडरसन: I would say that there’s not a whole lot of extra motivation this fight. I’m a pretty highly self-motivated individual. I want to win all of my fights. I don’t need any extra incentives. I want to have my hand raised in every single fight.
प्रश्न: This is your second title fight in Bellator. Is there anything you learned from the first go-around that you’re bringing into this fight?
बेन्सन हेंडरसन: I don’t know if there’s anything that I learned from the last title fight, just being more comfortable inside the Bellator cage and getting used to the walkout and finding my rhythm.
प्रश्न: You’re fighting for the title now. Do you think of yourself as a lightweight? Is this where you intend to stay or is another trip to welterweight a possibility in the future?
बेन्सन हेंडरसन: I wouldn’t say that I think of myself as a lightweight necessarily. मला, तो आहे 155 एलबीएस. किंवा 170 एलबीएस., just wherever the more interesting and fun matchups are. पण, first things first, I have to take care of business शनिवारी रात्री.
प्रश्न: You mentioned fun and interesting fights. Is the title something you think about as well? The story line of the week is a two-division champion in the other promotion. Is that a dream that you have for yourself in your career or do you just want to stay and be the most dominate lightweight champion that you can be?
बेन्सन हेंडरसन: I’m going to go get this belt at 155 एलबीएस., but after that I wouldn’t say that belts offer a whole lot of extra incentive. Obviously belts are great and the meaning behind the belt is that you are the best in the planet and that means a lot to say that you are the best at that weight class, but I don’t fight necessarily just for the belt. You do want the belt, but right now all I’m concentrating on is four days from now and a man named Michael Chandler.
प्रश्न: For Michael…Have you ever thought about trying for another belt? I know it’s early in your title reign, but has that ever crossed your mind? आणि, if you did go for another belt, would it be for welterweight or featherweight?
मायकेल मेणबत्त्या: I haven’t put a lot of thought into it. मला, I’m just looking for the biggest fight I can get. I know there’s no way I could make 145 एलबीएस., since I walk around at about 190 एलबीएस., between fights. त्यामुळे, I’m not interested in losing the muscle mass that I’ve worked so hard to build. तर काहीही, I would jump up to 170 एलबीएस., but right now I’m focused on my fight या शनिवार night and I’m excited to get out there and perform.
प्रश्न: Why is Henderson an important opponent for your career?
मायकेल मेणबत्त्या: Every opponent is important. Every single time we fight, we’re putting ourselves, our livelihood, our records, and our reputation on the line. It just so happens for me, I get an opportunity to fight a guy who’s been a champion and has done some great things in the sport. But luckily, it’s the right time for me and the wrong time for him. I’m extremely excited to go out there and make a statement with this fight शनिवारी रात्री. He’s definitely a great, willing opponent, but I’m excited to go out there and get the finish.
प्रश्न: For MVP…Obviously, it’s been a fantastic year for you in Bellator, especially your performance in London. Have you got your finger on the pulse of pop culture right now and is there something out there that you’re drawing inspiration from that you’re looking to utilize in some entertainment factor on fight night?
MVP: हं, I’m always socially aware, but I have to get the job done first and that’s the most important thing.
प्रश्न: At the moment, fighting at multiple weight classes and fighting in multiple divisions seems to be the rage right now and I know in the past you’ve mentioned the possibility of dropping down to 155 एलबीएस., is that something that you’re still interested in?
MVP: At the moment, नाही. सध्या, I’m just focused on fighting in the welterweight division.
प्रश्न: If you can record a win over Fernando Gonzalez, how many more fights and how many more wins do you think before you are in that title picture and fighting for a title shot?
MVP: That’s not really my main concern. I just go out there and entertain and I’ll keep doing that until I end up in the position I’m supposed to be in.
प्रश्न: For Michael Chandler…With you watching Benson from a far for a long time, what did you think of him as his career progressed?
मायकेल मेणबत्त्या: Benson’s had a phenomenal career. मागे दिवशी, he was the UFC champion and I was the Bellator champion. He was ranked number one and I was ranked number three in the world and it was always that “what if” matchup. What if these two guys could fight…and now we finally get to see. He’s continued to impress. He’s continued to win. Great careers and great legacies can’t be had without great opponents. I look at Benson Henderson as exactly that, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to step into that cage शनिवारी night and lose this belt. I’ve trained my tail off, I’ve gone through some of the toughest hardships that anyone can go through in this sport…losing three fights in a row, coming back, and believing that no matter what, my next big breakthrough is right around the corner. I never once thought about quitting, where I think a lot of people in that situation would. Where I’ve been and where I am now, I’m confident and I’m excited to just go out there and put it all on the line against one of the best in the world and one of the biggest names in the sport. This is a great opportunity on Spike TV, थेट आणि मुक्त.
प्रश्न: For Fernando…question regarding the video packages that Michael Page has produced and released this year, most recently during Halloween. Did you watch them and what was your reaction to the video packages?
फर्नांडोचा गोन्झालेझ: I watched both of the videos and thought it was kind of funny, especially the last one. Bad choice of food products I guess. He’s basically eating balls and drinking milk, while cupping and savoring the taste. त्यामुळे, I don’t know if I should take that as a call out, but I think the victory alone will be enough for me.
प्रश्न: With Michael (पृष्ठ) on the line right now, does Fernando have any sort of message for him leading up to the fight?
फर्नांडोचा गोन्झालेझ: It’s the same message that I gave before. Just show up. I respect the fighter, but after this he’ll congratulate me and thank me for making him a better fighter. तो कठीण आहे, but he hasn’t been tested and I’m going to give him his first loss.
प्रश्न: Michael do you have a response to that?
MVP: I’m allergic to bullshit, so there’s no point in responding.
प्रश्न: For Benson Henderson…In the title eliminator fight in Anaheim, you had a calm and deliberate demeanor throughout that fight and before we could really see you explode, Pitbull was taken away with an injury. Are you going to look to set a faster pace with Chandler, or are we going to see a more measured response?
बेन्सन हेंडरसन: We’ll see how it plays out. It’s hard to dictate and say exactly what I’m going to do. If I was an NFL coach, I would not be one of those coaches that has the first 15 plays of the game scripted out and no matter what happens, we’re sticking to these 15 plays. मला, I have to feel it out and go with the flow. पण, for me I don’t think this is going to be a slow pace fight. I’m expecting this to be one of the most high paced, action-packed fights you’ve seen in the Bellator cage.
पूर्ण "Bellator: 165: व्यापारी वि. Henderson” Main Card:
Lightweight World Title Main Event: मायकेल मेणबत्त्या (15-3) वि. बेन्सन हेंडरसन (24-6)
Welterweight Co-Main Event: मायकेल पृष्ठ (11-0) वि. फर्नांडोचा गोन्झालेझ (25-13)
Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: लिंटोन Vassell (16-5) वि. फ्रान्सिस Carmont (25-11)
Lightweight Feature Bout: आदाम Piccolot (8-0) वि. Brandon Girtz (14-4)
Flyweight Feature Bout: Keri-Anne Taylor-Melendez (चित्रपट) वि. Sheila Padilla (2-0)
Complete Preliminary Card:
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Ferguson Jr. (चित्रपट) वि. Aaron Hamilton (0-2)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Carrington Banks (5-0) वि. Jake Roberts (7-0)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Diego Herzog (3-2) वि. निक खाण्यास अयोग्य तसेच चमत्कारिक अन्नपदार्थाविषयी अस्वाभाविक आकर्षण (5-0)
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: यिर्मया Monaghan (9-5) वि. Vince Murdock (8-2)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: जेम्स टेरी (17-9) वि. Justin Baesman (19-10-1)
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: अल्विन Cacdac (16-12) वि. स्टीव्ह Ramirez (5-1)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: J.J. Okanovich (2-1) वि. Luis Vargas (चित्रपट)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: व्हिक्टर जोन्स (0-2) वि. Beau Hamilton (1-7)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Hugo Lujan (0-1) वि. Cesar Gonzalez (चित्रपट)
Welterweight “VOW” Preliminary Bout: Dominic Sumner (चित्रपट) वि. Justin Roswell (1-0)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (5-0) वि. Dwight Grant (6-1)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Sarah D’Alelio (10-6) वि. Jaimelene Nievera (4-1)
