After knocking out the debuting Andy Main in the third round at Bellator 208, Henry Corrales has a few opponents in mind for his next fight.
Uniondale, NY – After earning his fourth win in a row at Bellator 208 in the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, Henry Corrales made it clear that he wants the top fighters of the division next.
After a lengthy feeling out process in the first round, Corrales was able to knock down the tall Andy Main. After that punch, the fight picked up steam with both men landing their fair share of hard shots. The fight was a challenge from the start for the Bellator featherweight, as he was facing a significant height and reach disadvantage.
“We brought in a bunch of guys to emulate his style but they can’t always do it 100 percent. Not only was he long, he was super tough. He had a really good poker face. I was hitting him with some good shots, especially to the body, punishing his lead leg and he didn’t grimace once. He was still putting it on me, stalking me down. That was kind of a surprise, I didn’t see it going down like that. I thought he was going to try to use his length a little more, I didn’t see him stalking me so much.”
After losing in the first three fights of his Bellator career, Corrales has gone 4-0. A big factor in his turnaround has been a change of camps. The California native moved down to Phoenix, Arizona, to join The MMA Lab, boasting a great roster of fighters including former UFC champion Benson Henderson.
“Those mats are just saturated with UFC fighters and all-around good dudes. If you show up there every day, it’s impossible to not get better, and become a better person. It’s the best gym in the world […] You can learn something from everybody there. The big guys, small guys, even if you’re not sparring with them, you watch the work they put in and the mirror neurons start firing, like ‘I can do that too.'”
As for what’s next for Corrales, he went into the fight wanting to prove he belongs at the top of Bellator’s 145-pound division. Now with another stoppage victory under his belt, he has a list of names he’d like to meet in the cage.
“I’ve got vengeance on my mind. Before I came to the Lab and before I had the sufficient training I have now, I lost some fights when I didn’t have the right circumstances on my side. I just want to get some of those back. I got my ass whooped by three guys (Emmanuel Sanchez, Patricio Pitbull, Daniel Straus). A split decision and choked out twice. Any one of those guys can get it. I’d be more than happy to get back in there with any of those guys.”
When going into detail about one of the losses, Corrales displayed his lack of teeth that he lost after eating an Emmanuel Sanchez knee by taking out his fake ones. He went on saying he gets them drilled in and out around his fights, and that he wears a mask when sparring. The good thing is, his new teeth are very clean according to Corrales.
While losing three consecutive fights in a new promotion after being signed as a 12-0 prospect could bury some careers, Corrales used them as fuel to be the fighter he wants to be. “The cool thing about me is I’m not that smart. Ignorance is bliss. Those losses nudged me in the right direction… you think you know shit, and those losses humble you.”
Not only does Henry Corrales have an opponent in mind, he knows where he’d like to make his next appearance.
“I’d love to fight in California again. I crush it in ticket sales. I can get 20g’s in just ticket sales. I got my whole family out there.”
