Former UFC featherweight Kyle Bochniak steps into the PFL 2022 season on short notice this Thursday at PFL 2.
Bochniak (11-5) put on some entertaining scraps during his seven-fight UFC stint from 2016 to 2019, including a Fight of the Night effort against Zabit Magomedsharipov. After exiting the promotion, he returned to action last year under the XMMA banner, winning three straight fights.
Now, he gets a definite step up against 2021 semi-finalist Bubba Jenkins. And Bochniak isn’t just here as a stand-in, he let it be known during Tuesday’s PFL 2 media day.
“I’m going to make my mark known. I’m coming here to shake up the division,” Bochniak told media outlets including Cageside Press. “After this fight, the underdog’s going to be on top, and everybody’s going to hope they don’t get matched up with me.”
Noting the short notice-nature of the fight, Bochniak continued by saying that he wasn’t even sure who Bubba had originally been fighting. “I fought three weeks ago, I’m already in that mindset. I don’t care who’s in front of me. Bubba’s the name, doesn’t really matter. Any one of these guys in this division can get it. I’m a terrible match-up for anyone.”
As to what he brings to the table, “I think I’m one of the mentally strongest guys in this world. I can bring the fight to anyone, I’m a brawler, I can strike technically. On the ground, I can use my jiu-jitsu, I’m extremely difficult to hold on the mat, I’ve got cardio for days.”
He envisions Bubba Jenkins coming out and trying to strike with him, at least initially, at PFL 2. “And once he feels my power, and how comfortable on the feet I am, he’s going to panic wrestle, and he’s going to do desperate shots, we’re going to see him gas out, we’re going to see him look at the clock, we’re going to take his soul and finish the fight.”
Watch the full PFL 2 2022 media day appearance from Kyle Bochniak above. The event takes place this Thursday, April 28, 2022 at the ESports Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
