After their fight at UFC San Antonio, Juan Adams has repeatedly apologized to Greg Hardy, as well as fans and the UFC, for his actions in the octagon. Now, he’s even reached out to Hardy on one of Hardy’s Instagram posts.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0TY3zlAZXc/?igshid=1vav1q2feuxrz

On Hardy’s Instagram, he called for his fans to give Adams a second chance, saying that it wasn’t long ago he was asking for a second chance.

The caption reads: “To all my fans, hey guys let’s give #juanAdams a second chance. I see people bashing him and reacting to his reaction. But let’s remember when we were asking for my second chance. Let’s be the change and extend a hand of understanding and believe he can be better. #GodBless you Juan and thank you for the scrap. #payitforward #princeofwar”

Exchange between Greg Hardy and Juan Adams in Instagram. pic.twitter.com/ThLICmJRns

— Blaine Henry (@BlaineHenryTFL) July 24, 2019

Juan Adams responded in kind with great class. He wrote:

“Thank you. And I know social media apologies mean nothing but I sincerely apologize for the headache I may have caused you. I spoke to your uncle in the lobby and it opened my eyes to a lot. Have a good career.”

The lead-up to the fight

Juan Adams had lobbied for the Greg Hardy fight since coming in off the Contender Series in 2018. With Hardy’s domestic violence charges from 2014, he was in the cross-hairs of many heavyweights in the division, Adams included. After both were a couple fights deep in the UFC, the promotion decided to make the fight.

The fight went down at UFC San Antonio and in under a minute, Greg Hardy knocked out Juan Adams with vicious ground and pound. Upon leaving the cage, Adams was irate and threw his mouth guard into the stands all while throwing a fit over the stoppage, something he now says he regrets.

Both fighters were hit with scorn across the internet, Hardy for his past and Adams for his actions at UFC San Antonio.It seems like both will now be moving on.

The post Juan Adams and Greg Hardy Make Amends In Instagram Post appeared first on Cageside Press.

San Antonio, TX — UFC San Antonio took place this past weekend as the promotion returned from a 5-year absence in the Alamo City. If that event served as a homecoming party, then San Antonio’s own Alexander Hernandez was the homecoming king, making his city proud with a victory over Francisco Trinaldo via unanimous decision. Hernandez attributes the victory to his team and coaches, who helped him develop a solid strategy to beat the grisly veteran. “The Great” stuck to his guns and the strategy was successful, even if by a narrow margin.

At the open workouts, days prior to the fight, Hernandez promised the assembled media that composure was the biggest upgrade to his arsenal in preparation for this fight. He kept his promise. After the big win, he said “This is the most composed I’ve ever felt mentally and  physically. I implemented a game-plan that we rehearsed and rehearsed,” he said. “It was kind of a scary moment after the Cerrone fight because it wasn’t a matter of improving physically on skills or strengths, it was about rewiring my software. How do I change my entire demeanor, my entire approach? How do I become this composed, patient fighter?”

In his first three UFC fights, Hernandez was anything but that. He stormed out of the gate to face a top-15 ranked opponent in Beneil Dariush, starching the veteran UFC lightweight in less than a minute. He was a big underdog in that fight, as well as his sophomore outing against Olivier Aubin-Mercier. Again, his approach was ruthless aggression and forward pressure, and it worked. He won the fight despite droves of fans and media members who were adamant that he would be exposed as a fluke and outclassed by the Canadian prospect.

The third time out was most definitely not the charm when the signature style of Hernandez backfired, earning him his first ever TKO loss, which was only his second overall career loss. But he kept his eyes on the prize. “I didn’t lose an ounce of confidence from that fight,” he said. “If it wasn’t Cerrone it could have been the next guy, it was the way I was approaching my fights.” For those who are bothered by the brash attitude of the young Alex Hernandez, don’t expect anything to change. He explained his personality to the media, and as usual, he didn’t mince words. “I’m not putting on any fronts. I’m not trying to be a good guy or a bad guy. I’m just being me. You can interpret that however the f*ck you want.”

So where does Alexander “The Great” go from here? “Always up baby, always up. Up the totem pole. I don’t care about size, shape or style. I don’t care about any names. It’s always me versus me, featuring whomever. Let me keep climbing, that’s it.”

The post Alexander Hernandez Attributes UFC San Antonio Win to Strategy and Mental Preparation appeared first on Cageside Press.

We’re back once again. After UFC San Antonio, we break down what’s next for our fighters!

Greg Hardy Wins Again

This is always a point I like to make when Greg Hardy fights. I’m not here to condemn his past actions in this article. I am here strictly to analyze his fight and speculate what’s next.

Hardy and Juan Adams finally had their grudge match, in which Greg Hardy dispatched Adams in under a minute. Adams took the loss hard, but later apologized for his actions.

Next for Greg Hardy: Chase Sherman, Maurice Greene

Hardy is still inexperienced, and you could tell early on in the fight. The wide hook he threw allowed Adams to get in on the takedown. Fortunately for Hardy, he wasn’t far enough in to finish the takedown. While Hardy’s ranking is rising for each win. He might not be ready for a ranked opponent yet, but he will be soon. Although, the UFC and Dana White have been known to rush their prospects. Chase Sherman deserves another UFC call up and Maurice Greene is another hard hitter who would be a good test for Hardy.

Next for Juan Adams: Allen Crowder, Tanner Boser vs. Giacomo Lemos Winner

Juan Adams was highly touted coming out of the Contender Series. He was big, like REALLY big. Look at him next to Tyron Woodley:

Rate the fit: @chosenjuan285’s romper @TWooodley had some thoughts 🤣 pic.twitter.com/QQDrgjsrvm

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 20, 2019

Unfortunately for Adams, he took this grudge match personally and made a mistake that cost him the fight. Adams still might have some left in the UFC, but dropping two straight isn’t a good start. Allen Crowder, who also fought Hardy, would be a good test if he can keep his head clear ahead of the fight. Another good matchup would be the winner of Tanner Boser and Giacomo Lemos on this weekend’s UFC 240 card. The skill matchup would be another good test for Adams.

Walt Harris Notches Quality Win Over Oleinik

We just watched Ben Askren get starched by a flying knee. It JUST happened. You’d think everyone would be on high alert looking for another one. Oleinik didn’t get a chance to take the fight to the ground and was knocked off balance by a flying knee right into a knockout blow.

Next for Walt Harris: Andrei Arlovski Rematch, Derrick Lewis

Walt Harris notched his best win to date over Aleksei Oleinik at UFC San Antonio. The heavyweight hasn’t lost a fight since 2017 and only has 62 seconds of fight time in 2019. It might be time for Harris and Andrei Arlovski to run back their split decision fight that was overturned from last December. Derrick Lewis is also looking for a fight and it would be a good step up in competition for Harris.

Next for Aleksei Oleinik: Ben Rothwell, Fabricio Werdum

Aleksei Oleinik didn’t get the ever-sought-after Ezekiel choke that everyone knows him for at UFC San Antonio. He mentioned that this might be his last fight going in. Oleinik likely wants to go out on a win and might have a spot on the rumored UFC Moscow card. Ben Rothwell will have had ample time to recover after his beating from Arlovski. That might be a good fight for the UFC to make. A name people know and a competitive fight. Another dream matchup would be for the UFC to convince Fabricio Werdum to come back and have the two best grapplers in the heavyweight division go head to head. But who knows what the timetable is for Oleinik’s leg injury and if he’ll ever fight again?

Leon Edwards is in a Tough Situation

Leon Edwards marched down Rafael dos Anjos. It wasn’t that competitive of a fight. Dos Anjos is a very tough fighter too. He fights anyone and everyone. Unfortunately, the fight didn’t go his way.

Next for Leon Edwards: Robbie Lawler, Jorge Masvidal

The next fight for Leon Edwards is not in his control anymore. I believe his next fight relies solely on the outcome of the scrap between Robbie Lawler and Colby Covington. If Covington wins, he will likely get the next shot at the champ, Kamaru Usman. That would leave Jorge Masvidal looking for a fight. With the beef between the two, the fight would be gigantic. Now, if Lawler were to beat Covington, he wouldn’t get the shot because he is riding a two-fight losing streak going in. That would likely send Masvidal to Usman and Lawler to Edwards.

Next for Rafael dos Anjos: Charles Oliveira, Santiago Ponzinibbio

Unfortunately for dos Anjos, he’s running into the bigger fighters of the welterweight division, much like Donald Cerrone did. It might be time for him to return to lightweight again and get his size advantage back. A top 10 opponent would be appropriate for RDA at lightweight. But, if the cut is still too much, a matchup with Santiago Ponzinibbio would be a match made in heaven from UFC San Antonio. 

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San Antonio, TX — To say Andrei Arlovski looked better at UFC San Antonio than he has in recent fights would be quite the understatement. Arlovski looked the best he has in years against a tough Ben Rothwell who simply would no go down. Lesser fighters would likely have been stopped, but Rothwell went the distance with the ex-heavyweight champ. He nearly completed the comeback late.

Still, it was Andrei Arlovski walking away with a much needed unanimous decision win on Saturday in the Lone Star State. However, an emotional Arlovski’s post-fight comments ran the risk of overshadowing the win following the bout.

“The Pitbull” told reporters including Cageside Press that his son, who he cites as the reason he kept fighting in the bout, told him “Dad I hope you get a victory tonight.” Arlovski made the comment back stage at the AT&T center while wiping away tears.

Arlovski had expected to finish Rothwell in the first round, he said earlier. He certainly fought like that was the plan, getting off to a quick start. It obviously didn’t work out that way. Asked if he still saw several years ahead of him in the sport, after such a brutal war, Arlovski exclaimed “first of all, Ben, he’s a f*cking heavy hitter. Once again, I’ll tell everyone, shut your f*cking mouth about my glass chin. Go f*ck yourself, f*ggots. That’s it. I proved to everyone, you’re f*cking wrong.”

Not the sort of comment that goes over well in this day and age. Arlovski later issued a statement to MMA Junkie apologizing for his choice of words. “I apologize to anyone I offended with my poor choice of words,” Arlovski said. “I did not mean to offend any one group or person. I am deeply sorry and will not use these type of words in the future.”

The UFC also issued a statement to the outlet, saying in part that “The organization does not condone any disparaging comments regarding race, religion and/or sexual orientation. We have already addressed this issue directly with Andrei and his team.”

Continuing on back stage Saturday, Arlovski continued to rail against his critics. “I’m just happy that I shut their mouths again. That’s it,” he said. And despite such an intense battle, he doesn’t want too much time off. Arlovski told reporters that he’d already gone to UFC President Dana White, saying “Dana please give me a fight as soon as possible.” And while he’s aware he’ll need medical clearance, “hopefully [there is] nothing serious. Love fighting, it’s my life. I love UFC.” He feels fans saw the heart he can still offer Saturday.

“I hope fans love this fight. I’m ready to go. Like Reebok,” he added with a laugh, “just do it.”

Watch the full post-fight press scrum with Andrei Arlovski from UFC San Antonio (UFC on ESPN 4) above!

The post UFC San Antonio: Andrei Arlovski Emotional Following Rothwell Win, Draws Criticism for Post-Fight Comments appeared first on Cageside Press.

San Antonio, TX — Bruce Leeroy himself was back in the win column over the weekend at UFC San Antonio. In what served as the featured preliminary fight at the ESPN card, the fighter properly named Alex Caceres went the distance with Steven “Ocho” Peterson in an entertaining scrap that ended in a unanimous decision.

It was a fight that saw Caceres face adversity early on, after breaking his hand in the opening round. “It was weird. I knew it happened, I knew it was a serious thing, but I had to keep fighting,” he told reporters including Cageside Press after the bout. “This guy was going to keep coming after me. He’s a dangerous guy. He keeps walking forward and doesn’t stop, no matter how many times I hit him to the body. I felt it crack, I closed my fist again, then I felt it click.”

Caceres, however, did a good job masking the injury, throwing that damaged limb just often enough. At times, he targeted the body, at least softer than the head. “And then I end up tripping up in the first round, he ended up taking my back. My coaches were yelling, ‘Fight with two hands! Fight with two hands!’ I was just going with one hand because I couldn’t close the other one. That made it very difficult.” Luckily for him, Caceres was able to work his way out of that spot.

“He had it under my neck but I was able to push his elbow up just above my chin and just survive because I knew it was short time. So I knew if I survived there, we’d stand up again and I was going to have to keep on his right side, because I couldn’t throw my left,” he recalled. “I threw it, trying to aim with the bigger knuckles, that’s why the little one is swollen now. I tried not hitting with the smaller knuckles but it landed a few times and it kind of went numb. I just fought through it.”

Escaping Peterson’s back control was a major moment. “That was the defining moment right there, in all of my career to be honest.”

“It was like deja vu, because that’s where I’ve been finished the most, someone taking my back with that body triangle and the rear-naked choke and he was close, I was choking,” Caceres admitted. “Bruce Leeroy” has five rear-naked choke losses in the UFC alone, after all. “It was just a defining moment there. I’m not trying to cover it up with false machismo. I wanted at one point to let him have it, it was already too close. But something else clicked inside of me and said, ‘F*ck this sh*t. We’re getting out of this.’ I was able to turn my hips, start pushing his elbow and felt that fight in me rising and rising. I thought, ‘It’s not going to happen again.’ And I really put it in my head. Like visualization during the actualization of the fight and it really pulled me through.”

Check out the rest of Alex Caceres’s UFC San Antonio post-fight media scrum above.

The post UFC San Antonio: Alex Caceres Had “Defining Moment” of Career in Peterson Fight appeared first on Cageside Press.

San Antonio, TX – Ray Borg last tasted victory in 2017. Since then, he’s had four bouts canceled and two losses added to his record. He was able to turn things around at UFC San Antonio with a win over the debuting Gabriel Silva. It’s safe to say it’s been a tough run for “The Tazmexican Devil.”

“I let a lot of outside stuff push me back in my career. With weight cuts and things like that. My last fight not going my way even though I thought it should’ve. I thought, ‘Damn, what do I have to do to get in this win column?’ But we made sure we were tight on my whole camp over at Jackson’s. We made sure we were super on point in this camp with everything from training to the weight cut. It feels amazing to finally be back in there. Feels like forever, well, it’s been a while. Feels like worse.”

All the issues affecting his fighting career directly were taking a toll on him. Not to mention, Ray Borg’s newborn son was diagnosed with hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and required many surgeries. During these trials, Borg considered calling it quits.

“Truth be told, I don’t hide any secrets, I don’t lie, I didn’t know if we were going to get to this point right now. I didn’t know if there was going to be much more of a road to keep going on at this point. But I’m a very strong person. I’ve been through a lot my whole entire life, not just these past few years. I just couldn’t let my son down. Everything he’s been through, all the fights he’s had to fight through, I couldn’t let him down. I made sure I picked myself up and said, ‘Hey, get the hell up bro.’ I made sure that I’m going to have a long career in this sport. I’m very happy with where I’m at. I have a good mindset going forward.”

Early on, it seemed as if Borg’s struggles would continue, as he lost the first round on all three judges’ scorecards. With his back against the wall, Borg was able to get the better of his opponent, Gabriel Silva, and take home a decision.

“That’s why I trust my coaches. My coaches are never going to say, ‘Hey, good round. You won that round, you’re so fantastic.’ Nah, my coaches will tell me straight. My coach told me, ‘Hey, we need this last round. We need this last round.’ And I had a feeling. I came out to an okay start in the first, and then I let him get the upper hand a bit too much. So I agree with them giving him the first. I know a lot was on the line in the last round. A lot more than money, a win. I think my career was on the line at that point.”

Considering the struggles in the personal life of Ray Borg, a lost first round could have sent him spiraling. However, he drew motivation from his son, who was able to persevere through all the surgeries in his first several months of life.

“It’s obviously if you could tell yourself, ‘Hey man, if you don’t win this last round, you could be in the can.’ But more than that, it’s like, ‘You know, I don’t need this last round. My coaches don’t need this last round. My son needs this last round.’ My son needs this win, and wins in the future as well. That’s what kept me going. I was exhausted. I blew my load on that guillotine. It was there, I heard him squealing, but my arms were damn tired.”

Check out the rest of Ray Borg’s UFC San Antonio post-fight media scrum above.

The post UFC San Antonio’s Ray Borg: “My Son Needed That Win” appeared first on Cageside Press.

San Antonio, TX — After knocking out James Vick at UFC San Antonio, Dan Hooker has his sights set high. Higher than the 6″3 “Texicutioner” Vick even. Hooker (18-8) bounced back nicely after a tough loss to Edson Barboza, stopping Vick to claim the first finish on Saturday’s card.

The knockout also earned him an extra $50,000 by way of a Performance bonus. Speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press following the bout at the AT&T Center, “The Hangman” (quite the ominous clash of nicknames in this fight) said that the win “meant a lot to me. It was probably the most satisfying win of my career.”

Yet it was a win more for others, he explained. “Not just for myself. Me, I’ll do this regardless. Last fight [the Barboza loss], to me, I can brush that off pretty easily. All the physical damage and stuff, that’s just something I’ve accepted so it’s not a big deal to me,” he said. “But the people around me that watch it, you know family, friends, my wife, they’re the ones that, I feel like they needed a win like that. They needed a big win. That was for all of them, rather than for myself.”

The key to the win this time was that “I just trusted what I’ve been working on with my coaches,” explained Hooker. The win, in other words, was a real team effort. “It was all down to [his team], I just took a step back in this fight. I just went out there, enjoyed myself, enjoyed my training. Pushed very hard, trained very hard, but yeah, just took a step back. My job’s to go in there and fight, it’s their job to do all the studying and break down my opponents.”

The fight had a different feel to it, after Hooker was gone roughly seven months. “It did feel different, because stepping back for so long, I just appreciated it. Even on the walkout, it all came out, how much I miss this,” Hooker said. “How much I miss going out there and putting on a show for the fans. I was just soaking it up on the walkout. Even after the fight, you could see how much I’m into it.”

Next up, he wants on the Robert Whittaker vs. Israel Adesanya card. UFC 243 is expected to feature that bout, although no location has been announced. And Hooker, if he knows, wasn’t saying anything Saturday. “They keep me in the dark, I’ve got a big mouth!”

While he doesn’t have a specific name — too many of the top ten are booked currently — Dan Hooker does have an idea of what he’s looking for in an opponent. “I feel like this is back where I left off,” he said, meaning prior to the Barboza fight, when he was on a four-fight win streak. “I want a big name fighter. I want a top ten guy. If they’re coming down to Melbourne, they need to sell some tickets, put Dan Hooker on the card against a top ten fighter, I feel like that makes a lot of sense, and that sells a lot of tickets.”

Watch the full post-fight press scrum with Dan Hooker from UFC San Antonio (UFC on ESPN 4) above!

The post UFC San Antonio: Dan Hooker Wants Big Name Fighter Next appeared first on Cageside Press.

San Antonio, TX — Love him or hate him, Greg Hardy may be in the UFC for a while to come. Earning his second win in the promotion against Juan Adams Saturday at UFC San Antonio, Hardy showed that he could survive against a motivated opponent. An opponent out to make an example of him.

Instead, the former NFL’er turned heavyweight made an example of Adams, getting the TKO stoppage within a round. “I feel like saying I told you so,” Hardy told media outlets including Cageside Press post-fight.

“I said it was going to happen and it did happen. I’m pretty sure he went to the hospital,” he added.

Hardy never really took much of Adam’s trash talk ahead of the fight to heart, he claimed. Instead, he “let it go. I let it go instantly when he said it.” According to Hardy, “I heard if all second hand from you guys or from other sources. It was all about the fight. It was all about disconnecting him from his consciousness.”

Which is more or less what happened at UFC San Antonio, although Adams certainly disputed the stoppage. But to Greg Hardy, his opponent “came in arrogant, he came in with the same game plan that everybody else came in with, and got the same result.”

At least the former NFL defensive end got to show some takedown defense. “Who saw the whizzer? That’s all I’m saying. I’m super proud of myself,” he boasted. “Shout out to my wrestling coaches. Best in the country, best in the world. I’m making little developments. Everybody wants to talk about the cockiness and the little things I say on camera, but everybody forgets the last statement — I go back, and I’m going to work. I’m going to fix things, I’m going to add skills. This is an everyday occurrence, this is an everyday thing and I’m not doing away.”

Hardy once again did not get to show his full arsenal, mind you. After breaking out some kicks during the open workouts, he was forced to contend with another opponent looking to drag him to the mat. “If you can convince these guys to stop trying to take me down, I’ll give it to you, all. I’ll give you all of it,” he said when asked when we might see his full skill set. “You can have the whole book, man. There’s a whole lot that you guys haven’t seen yet.”

“I think there’s a whole lot to come in the future of the Prince of War,” he added shortly after. “You just gotta keep tuning in.”

In the octagon in San Antonio, Adams came out tentative despite all the trash talk. Asked whether he was surprised by that, Hardy answered that he no longer worries about the emotions, or the opinions of his opponents period. Who he sees as sheep to his lion. “That’s something that I put behind me after the Allen Crowder fight. Emotion has nothing to do with this. It’s lions and sheep, and I do not concern myself with their opinions, their thoughts, how they feel — nothing. All they are is food.”

“I did not see that,” Hardy said when asked if he saw Adams post-fight antics. Adams had a few choice words, leaving the octagon prior to the winner being announced. “I was having such a good time just enjoying the victory. I didn’t see him in the ring when [the ref] was raising my hand.” Despite Adams reaction, Hardy didn’t take the bait, and said the right things. “But God bless him. He’s a young man. I was young. We all remember the mistakes I was making when I was a kid. Hopefully he learns, he gets better. Comes back. If he wants another knockout, I’ll send him to the hospital again. Maybe just learn some lessons and be better. That’s what we’re preaching out here. We’re becoming better human beings. We’re raising the bar, and I want to be that guy.”

Watch the full post-fight press scrum with Greg Hardy from UFC San Antonio (UFC on ESPN 4) above!

The post UFC San Antonio: Greg Hardy Not Concerned with the Opinions of Sheep appeared first on Cageside Press.

San Antonio, TX – After missing 2017, Raquel Pennington was thrown right into a title shot against dominant champion Amanda Nunes. The fight resulted in a one-sided loss, and Pennington fought just five months later against former champion Germaine De Randamie. Falling for the second time in a row, Pennington was in a tough spot heading into UFC San Antonio, but she was able to pull out a victory over Irene Aldana.

“My entire career, I’ve been the underdog. I’ve kind of been the dark horse in everything and that’s fine. I keep fighting top opponents. I keep doing things. I’ve been slowly climbing and having fun through it all. I have what I need for me. There are some great fans out there who truly support me. I have a phenomenal family. I have coaches who truly believe in me and teammates who are always there. For me, that’s all I need just to go out there. I have a passion in my heart and I’m just chasing it and I feel grateful and blessed to have this opportunity. I’m going to continue doing what I do and getting top fights and I never turn down anything that comes my way.”

From major shoulder surgery to a broken leg, Pennington has been through it all since her last win. Retirement was even on the table at one point.

“I’ve climbed so many obstacles. The past few years were hard on me emotionally. I finally stepped back after the De Randamie fight. I can’t even look back or remember a piece of it. Honestly, I shouldn’t even have been in there. It doesn’t come down to my performance or anything. I was having a lot of health issues. After I fought Miesha, I went into multiple surgeries. I came back and into a high-profile fight with Amanda. But even before I got to recover from my surgeries, I jumped in there, then I broke my leg and it was me pushing myself to get back out there because I was antsy. I wanted to do what I absolutely love and I wasn’t ready for any of them. I needed to take more time, listen to my body, do things right. So this time around, I fought Germaine, I thought, ‘I seriously need a reset.’ And that’s where I was at the crossroads. It’s either, I walk away and that’s it, I had a good run. Or I dig within myself and see where I truly want to go. Truth is, I’m not done. I’m just getting started and I’m having fun again.”

The mental aspect of fighting is incredibly important, and Pennington was not getting the most out of herself until recently, when she put her motivational speaking experience to use.

“It was my mind and it was my heart. It was just talking to the ones around me who mean the most and just listening to what they had to say. It was stepping back and just thinking within myself. Along the way somewhere, I started doing a lot of guest speaking and I’m a high school gymnastics coach and I could sit here and give all these motivational speeches and do everything, but I wasn’t taking my own advice. I was throwing it all down the drain. I was like, ‘You know what? This is still in me. I still have a lot to give.’ So that’s when I decided to turn it around. I got super serious when it came to my health because first and foremost, that’s what’s important. As soon as I figured that out, I felt like myself again. And when I felt like myself again, there was a fire, there was a passion. That fire was re-lit.”

Check out the rest of Raquel Pennington’s UFC San Antonio post-fight media scrum above.

The post UFC San Antonio: Raquel Pennington Details Return from Tough Stretch appeared first on Cageside Press.

San Antonio, TX — If your first reaction to Walt Harris following his win over Aleksei Oleinik was “what on earth is he wearing?” you wouldn’t be alone. Harris, who knocked out former training partner Oleinik in just twelve seconds at UFC San Antonio, turned up backstage decked out in a suit, topped with a coonskin cap.

“It’s an ode to the great, late Davy Crockett,” Harris explained, speaking to media members including Cageside Press. “He came to San Antonio and helped this great country, helped these great people of San Antonio, and he also killed bears with his bare hands. So the Russian symbol is a bear, so that’s what my goal was tonight, kill a bear with my bare hands, pun intended.”

Welcome to a new, more entertaining side of Walt Harris. Of course, the outfit was fitting, given that Crockett died fighting at the Alamo. And Harris did slay a bear, or at least a boa constrictor, in the form of Oleinik.

“I just wanted to channel my inner Davy, just go out there and attack, man,” he said of his performance. “It’s wild out there, it’s tough, tough terrain. I wanted to make sure I used all of my weapons, and we got the job done in twelve seconds.”

Tough terrain is one way to put it. Harris has finally put together a nice little win streak of late, but it was a rocky road getting to this point. “Rocky Road. That’s where Davy Crockett was born, in Tennessee.” Points to Harris for remembering history class. “It’s just perseverance. Davy persevered, I felt I had to preserve and keep going. And I’m here, man. I’m here in this moment. So thank you Davy.”

Asked if Crockett had always been an inspiration to him, Harris had to admit with a laugh that “I recently was inspired by my trip to San Antonio. I took a trip on the river walk, saw the hat, and it clicked. I said ‘that’s good stuff, I’m going to wear that.’ So yea, thanks Davy.”

Puns and joking aside, Harris should have earned himself a step up moving forward. “There’s a couple guys in front of me that I’m interested in fighting. [Alexander] Volkov is one,” he said. “I’d love to get the [Shamil] Abdurakhimov fight back, I feel like I won that one.” Ultimately, however, he’s not about to pick and choose. “I’m up for whatever. Who ever’s in front of me. They all can get it. I want to be the champion one day. I set a goal for 2020 to be in that conversation. So the next step, whatever the UFC puts out there, I’m going to get it.”

Following the knockout Saturday, Harris paid his respects to Oleinik, kneeling by his side while the fighter was still down. “I got a lot of respect for Aleksei. You never want to see anybody get hurt,” he explained. “I knew it was a good shot when it landed. And I was like ‘wow,’ and then I saw he was kind of slow to come to. I felt like ‘man, I’ve got to pay some respect to him,’ because I also heard that this might be his last fight. So shout out to Aleksei, thank you for taking the fight and giving me an opportunity.”

Watch the full post-fight press scrum with Walt Harris from UFC San Antonio (UFC on ESPN 4) above!

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