Phoenix, AZ – Nobody likes to see a fight end due to injury, but it is part of the game that is MMA. For Bellator featherweight Henry Corrales that turned out to be the end of his bout at Bellator 273 on Saturday night.
After an incidental eye poke Corrale’s opponent Aiden Lee was unable to continue thus ending the fight and putting the result in the hands of the judges who saw it for Corrales.
“Yeah It’s not the way I want it to end here in Phoenix. The fans they deserve more and that’s nothing against him it’s just kind of a lame finish. This was the final fight on my contract. This was my 15th fight with Bellator, my 20th win. So there’s a lot riding on this fight I needed to go out there and put a big performance on. I tried,” Corrales told the media in his post-fight scrum.
Corrales did remember the accidental poke but didn’t think it was as bad as Lee’s reaction made it out to be.
“I didn’t feel like I really poked him to be honest with you. And the replay was showing the replay and it just didn’t look as serious as he was playing it off to be. But it’s the f*cking eye so only he knows how much that hurt.”
After the bout ended Corrales went to Lee to speak to him, but his opponent wasn’t really open to that.
“Oh dude yeah he was super butt hurt. It was like ‘Hey big dog, I didn’t poke you on purpose dude, f*ck. This is a f*cking fist fight. Walking away after the cage and it’s just like he was acting disappointed that the fight was stopped, but while the fight was going he wasn’t really fighting. He was kind of like whimpering on shots. It’s like ‘Hey dude you weren’t really f*cking going’ you’re acting a lot, I don’t know.”
Before the fight-ending eye poke it seems as though the fight was going Corrales’ way.
“My coaches had a really good game plan for me. Like I mentioned earlier this is the last fight on my contract. They wanted me to go out there and be really impressive. They’re talking to me a lot about technique and stuff. But it was just a lot of shark eyes dude in my mind I just want to walk in the center of the cage and see whose balls are hanging lower. And it’s just like ‘F*ck dude, I can’t help it’. That’s why my record’s not, I’m 20-6 now, It’s not as good as it should be, but f*ck I’m still learning I guess.”
With this being the last fight on his Bellator contract Corrales expressed a want to stay with the promotion. As far as what’s next for Corrales should he stay with Bellator he said he’s ready for anyone.
“I work hard and I’m very consistent and I show up. I’ll fight any one of these mother f*ckers anytime. I haven’t turned down a single fight. I’ve had 15 fights with Bellator and I’m like ‘Let’s get it dude!’ Any of these mother f*ckers want it let’s go. I’m working, you know? I’m here to fight people.”
Watch the full Bellator 273 post-fight press conference with Henry Corrales above. More coverage from the event can be found below.
Ryan Bader
Scott Coker
Benson Henderson
Henry Corrales
Sabah Homasi
Chris Gonzalez
