UFC welterweight Charles Radtke is taking his fight with Mike Malott at UFC 315 on Saturday night very personally it seems and he’s not beyond telling you about it.
Radtke (10-4) has not been shy on social media taking shots at Canada. Hashtags of ’51st State’ have been all over his Instagram page and he feels he’s fighting for more than just a win.
“I am the enemy. I’ve always been the underdog. Usually I’m always the underdog heading into fights. For me this is just where I belong and this is naturally me,” Radtke told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“I’m two different people. I am a person outside of this sport, but then in the sport, I am the heel naturally. That’s why whenever you see that post-fight speech in Australia people dug it because it was authentic. It was who I am.”
It’s no secret that Radtke won’t be very popular with the crowd when he makes the walk to the octagon on Saturday. He’s expecting a sea of boos and he’s fine with that.
“I think I’m going to be real nervous,” Radtke said sarcastically. “I think I’m going to be real scared coming in there.
One reporter in the room brought up the recent Canada vs. USA hockey game where the Americans lost the ‘4 Nations Championship’ 3-2 in an overtime thriller. Radtke wasn’t amused, and took it to another level.
“So I don’t give a sh*t about hockey. That’s not my gig but what I do hold dear is…I grew up on a bison ranch with my grandfather. A sergeant major in the Marine Corps. When ya’ll boo the national anthem somebody’s going to have to pay for that,” he said.
“I take that to heart. Every year I would change 50 flags going up our driveway. You’re going to see the results of it.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Charles Radtke above. He takes on Mike Malott at UFC 315 on Saturday night.
