Newark, NJ — Randy Brown happened to be back stage at the Prudential Center in New Jersey following his UFC 302 fight when a wince-inducing scene played out.
Brown (19-5), coming out of his win with Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, was talking about the relief he felt following the fight, from “just natural anxieties,” when Kevin Holland snapped Michal Oleksiejczuk’s arm. The scene played out on a TV in the media room, and Brown couldn’t tear his attention away.
“Oh my God. Kevin Holland has him in an arm-bar, about to break that sh*t. Please, don’t- just tap. Just tap,” Brown exclaimed when Holland first latched on with the arm-bar.
It didn’t happen. The Polish middleweight stuck it out, then had the fight stopped after his arm bent backwards at an unnatural angle. “Oooh! Oh, that’s broken. Sh*t, that’s a broken arm. He tapped. Looked like a tap to me. Sh*t.”
If nothing else, the moment outlined how it’s not just fans, but fighters who get caught up in the moment. As for Brown, he’s looking to work his way into the rankings after multiple win streaks, and years of being overlooked.
“I’m down. You know me, I’m a gamer. I’m a gamer. I’m down to fight anybody, but you heard my callout, that’s what I want. I think it’s time I move forward.”
The callout, made during his interview with Joe Rogan, was of Geoff Neal. “It’s my time,” stated Brown, saying Neal was “that guy right now, and I need you.”
“The one guy that beat me in the past five years, he got ranked after beating me, I’m still unranked,” Brown later added. “I think I should be ranked, but honestly again, I’m not the one to make that decision. I’m fine with just getting paid and beating up on the guy’s that are not as good, but if you get me in the rankings, I know that means more money, that means more notoriety, that means I’m able to build a legacy and move forward.”
Watch the full UFC 302 post-fight press conference with Randy Brown above.
