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SANTA MONICA, కాలిఫోర్నియా (నవంబర్ 15, 2016) – Before the cage door closes ఈ శనివారం శాన్ జోస్ లోని SAP సెంటర్ వద్ద, the main and co-main event fighters from "వారియర్ 165: చాండ్లర్ vs. హెండర్సన్ "participated in a media conference call. If you weren’t on the line, you can listen to it ఇక్కడ, or read a couple of the quotes below.
"వారియర్ 165: చాండ్లర్ vs. హెండర్సన్ " features current champion మైఖేల్ చాండ్లర్ (15-3) వ్యతిరేకంగా బెన్సన్ హెండర్సన్ (24-6) పతాక శీర్షిక పాత్రలో, while co-main event action will have undefeated British phenom మైఖేల్ "వెనం" పేజీ (11-0) and California’s own ఫెర్నాండో గొంజాలెజ్ (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 ప్రధానమంత్రి. AND/8 ప్రధానమంత్రి. 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.
Q: For Benson…Is there any extra motivation to prove yourself in this fight after the way the last fight ended?
బెన్సన్ హెండర్సన్: 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.
Q: 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?
బెన్సన్ హెండర్సన్: 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.
Q: 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?
బెన్సన్ హెండర్సన్: I wouldn’t say that I think of myself as a lightweight necessarily. నాకు, అది వార్తలు 155 పౌండ్లు. లేదా 170 పౌండ్లు., just wherever the more interesting and fun matchups are. కానీ, first things first, I have to take care of business శనివారం రాత్రి.
Q: 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?
బెన్సన్ హెండర్సన్: I’m going to go get this belt at 155 పౌండ్లు., 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.
Q: 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? మరియు, if you did go for another belt, would it be for welterweight or featherweight?
మైఖేల్ చాండ్లర్: I haven’t put a lot of thought into it. నాకు, I’m just looking for the biggest fight I can get. I know there’s no way I could make 145 పౌండ్లు., since I walk around at about 190 పౌండ్లు., between fights. కాబట్టి, I’m not interested in losing the muscle mass that I’ve worked so hard to build. ఏదైనా ఉంటే, I would jump up to 170 పౌండ్లు., but right now I’m focused on my fight ఈ శనివారం night and I’m excited to get out there and perform.
Q: Why is Henderson an important opponent for your career?
మైఖేల్ చాండ్లర్: 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 శనివారం రాత్రి. He’s definitely a great, willing opponent, but I’m excited to go out there and get the finish.
Q: 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: అవును, I’m always socially aware, but I have to get the job done first and that’s the most important thing.
Q: 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 పౌండ్లు., is that something that you’re still interested in?
MVP: At the moment, చేయలేను. ప్రస్తుతం, I’m just focused on fighting in the welterweight division.
Q: 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.
Q: For Michael Chandler…With you watching Benson from a far for a long time, what did you think of him as his career progressed?
మైఖేల్ చాండ్లర్: Benson’s had a phenomenal career. తిరిగి రోజు, 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 శనివారం 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, ఉచిత ప్రత్యక్ష మరియు.
Q: 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?
ఫెర్నాండో గొంజాలెజ్: 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. కాబట్టి, I don’t know if I should take that as a call out, but I think the victory alone will be enough for me.
Q: With Michael (పేజీ) on the line right now, does Fernando have any sort of message for him leading up to the fight?
ఫెర్నాండో గొంజాలెజ్: 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. అతను కఠినమైన వార్తలు, but he hasn’t been tested and I’m going to give him his first loss.
Q: Michael do you have a response to that?
MVP: I’m allergic to bullshit, so there’s no point in responding.
Q: 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?
బెన్సన్ హెండర్సన్: 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. నాకు, I have to feel it out and go with the flow. కానీ, 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.
పూర్తి "వారియర్ 165: చాండ్లర్ vs. Henderson” Main Card:
Lightweight World Title Main Event: మైఖేల్ చాండ్లర్ (15-3) vs. బెన్సన్ హెండర్సన్ (24-6)
Welterweight Co-Main Event: మైఖేల్ పేజ్ (11-0) vs. ఫెర్నాండో గొంజాలెజ్ (25-13)
Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: లింతాన్ Vassell (16-5) vs. ఫ్రాన్సిస్ Carmont (25-11)
Lightweight Feature Bout: ఆడం Piccolot (8-0) vs. బ్రాండన్ Girtz (14-4)
Flyweight Feature Bout: Keri-Anne Taylor-Melendez (అరంగేట్రం) vs. Sheila Padilla (2-0)
Complete Preliminary Card:
వెల్టర్‌వెయిట్ ప్రిలిమినరీ బౌట్: Kevin Ferguson Jr. (అరంగేట్రం) vs. Aaron Hamilton (0-2)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Carrington Banks (5-0) vs. Jake Roberts (7-0)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Diego Herzog (3-2) vs. నిక్ pica (5-0)
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: యిర్మీయా మొనఘన్ (9-5) vs. Vince Murdock (8-2)
వెల్టర్‌వెయిట్ ప్రిలిమినరీ బౌట్: జేమ్స్ టెర్రీ (17-9) vs. Justin Baesman (19-10-1)
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: ఆల్విన్ Cacdac (16-12) vs. స్టీవ్ రామిరేజ్ (5-1)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: J.J. Okanovich (2-1) vs. Luis Vargas (అరంగేట్రం)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: విక్టర్ జోన్స్ (0-2) vs. Beau Hamilton (1-7)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Hugo Lujan (0-1) vs. Cesar Gonzalez (అరంగేట్రం)
Welterweight “VOW” Preliminary Bout: Dominic Sumner (అరంగేట్రం) vs. Justin Roswell (1-0)
వెల్టర్‌వెయిట్ ప్రిలిమినరీ బౌట్: Danasabe Mohammed (5-0) vs. Dwight Grant (6-1)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Sarah D’Alelio (10-6) vs. Jaimelene Nievera (4-1)
