Oklahoma City — Welterweight Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani improved to 2-0 in the UFC octagon and 11-2 overall on Saturday care of a decision victory over South Korea’s Seok Hyeon Ko.
Following the three-round fight, Lebosnoyani admitted to media outlets including Cageside Press that “honestly I think I built him up in my head a little more. I was surprised at how well I could hang in there with him.”
JPL wasn’t alone in his doubts, however, as he noted that “I think a lot of the people on social media thought I was going to lose this fight. He had a lot of hype, beat a lot of good guys, and it’s just a testament to what I’ve been doing my whole life, and the team that I have behind me. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Despite the unanimous decision on the scorecards, some fans were calling the outcome a robbery. Maybe they mean upset, but either way Lebosnoyani took it in stride. “That’s 2-0 for me for robberies. Call me the American Bandit, because I’m going to steal every decision.”
“All I can say to that is that Phil Rowe’s parents fought tonight, and that’s all that really matters,” he added. Both Lebosnoyani and Ko defeated Rowe in their respective last fights.
What’s next for Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani? JPL isn’t a guy who follows fighting, and admitted that “I don’t know a lot of names in my division. They give me a name, and I say yes. I think all that I ask for is a little step up in competition every single time. I want to continue to push myself and to scare myself into getting better. Just looking forward to growing and having another opportunity to get another win in the UFC.”
Watch the full UFC Oklahoma City post-fight press conference with Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani above.
