UGP 36 PRESS CONFERENCE
EVENT: UGP 36 Press Conference
VENUE: Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro
LOCATION: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
DATE: July 8, 2022
[The feed gradually fades into a panoramic view inside the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro. The lavish interior is decked out with sculptures and paintings crafted by some of Brazil’s most masterful artists. Ascending down to the main stage, there’s a black glossy podium in the center with the trademark Octagon Star logo engraved and flanked on both sides are a long table draped with black felt with the Union GP word mark embroidered in the center.]
[The eager crowd cheers as Dante Reed makes his way to the podium. Just a few seconds later, all of the scheduled fighters begin to make their way on stage and take their reserved seats. The crowd booms with tremendous enthusiasm for the fighters before gradually lowering to a dull roar. Dante takes the opportunity and draws in a deep breath before lowering himself closer to the mic.]
DANTE REED: “What’s up Rio?! It’s great to finally be back in Brazil. It’s been long overdue and we wanted to bring you all a helluva card, and I think we did just that. Two big title fights along with some of the most exciting prospects to step into the cage today. So let’s open up the floor, who’s got the first question?”
[As Dante leans back from the microphone, a wave of reporters rush to jump at the opportunity. It’s the hometown girl that gets waved down first, and it’s a familiar Union face that’s doing the waving down–Everest’s Kayla Chapman catches the Brazilian’s attention, and Isabel sits up a little straighter as Kayla adjusts her mic before speaking up.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Izzi, before we get into this weekend’s fight, I think we’d be a little remiss if we didn’t talk about the fight that led up to this–there was no shortage of controversy coming out of your win over Lena Lyons; a lot of people, including myself, weren’t sure what to make of the finish. There were calls to overturn the fight, to book a rematch, to do a lot of things coming out of that night, I’m just curious if you’ve gone back and watched that fight since, and what you make of…of everything that came out of that night, I guess.”
ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(Hm…)”
[Despite clearly being prepared for the question, Izzi has to mull over her thoughts for a second. She drums her fingers against the table for a second before finally pulling the mic in closer.]
ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(I guess this is going to be the unpopular thing to say, but if I’m completely honest about it? I don’t get the controversy. The referee is told to step in if a fighter’s not intelligently defending themselves–refusing to tap when your arm is hyperextended and just hoping to survive the round isn’t intelligently defending yourself. I think he did the right thing in the situation. Whether people like it or not is a very different question, but just because people don’t like it doesn’t make it wrong.)”
[Izzi exhales a breath, reaching up to push her hair out of her face, if for no other reason than to buy herself a second.]
ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(The official obviously thought she was close to getting her arm broken–he did what he was supposed to, prevented her from getting hurt worse. If that’s controversial, I guess the next question is, are we going to raise this kind of fuss every time? This weekend, if Gianna clips me and the official thinks I’m hurt, is there going to be some big fuss raised over it if I think I can fight back? Or if it’s close to the end of the round? Or, because that’s more normal, are we just going to accept it and move on?)”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “I guess I get it–I’m still not sure I agree personally, but, like I’ve said a lot, I’m just here to talk about what happens, I’m not a ref, and I’m not a judge, so that…that’s above my paygrade. Anyway, let’s turn to the matter at hand, huh? You go from one dangerous striker, to another, very different kind of striker in Gianna Howard. Now, we’ve seen you in the past manage to get some big shots off against Tim Vu, you had Lena rocked there for a second in that fight–is that something you’re wanting to show more of this weekend, or…”
[Before she can even get the question out, Gianna’s more than willing to speak up in place of her challenger from the other end of the table.]
GIANNA HOWARD: “Not if she wants a chance to win.”
[The Ghost’s arrogance is…not well met, by the fans in attendance for the press conference, who are definitely more there to see their hometown girl than they are the Bantamweight Champion–and both champion and challenger seem to be aware of that. Izzi, for her part, just rolls her eyes, shaking her head but keeping that usual smile on her face.]
ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(Like with Lena, I won’t pretend that standing up with Gianna is exactly my preference. I said it in Boston, I’ll say it again tonight, maybe the worst kept secret at 135 pounds is the fact that I want the fight on the ground. Everybody knows it.)”
[Izzi shrugs her shoulders, not exactly giving away classified information there.]
ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(But…nobody thought I’d be able to stand with Tim, and I finished him on the feet. Nobody thought I’d be able to stand with Lena, and I had her stumbling. Nobody thought I’d be able to compete with people like that, until I did, so…who knows? If I get the chance, maybe I get to show Gianna something she doesn’t expect.)”
[Izzi’s smile spreads into a grin, even as it’s obvious she’s just playing along with Gianna’s arrogant nature.]
ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(But I don’t think it will be a big surprise to hear it’s not how I expect this fight to go–not if I get my way, at least. I’ve watched Gianna’s fights, if there’s one thing she struggles with, it’s defending takedowns; if you get in and get hold of her, you can usually get her down. Easier said than done, of course, but we’ve seen her get taken down in the past, both in Union and elsewhere. Dallas took her down, Leila Andrade took her down in AWC, Gunnila Kanensson took her down in AWC–and not to disparage any of them, but none of them are going to attack her on the ground like I am.)”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Actually, that raises a question for Gianna as well…”
[This time, the Champion actually turns to look toward Kayla, rather than just speak up without much more investment.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Izzi raises a decent point–in the past year or so, we’ve seen you get taken down more than earlier in your career, and we’ve especially seen you get into some trouble with submissions, including the loss to Gunnila last year…”
[The ending to the only AWC Flyweight Championship fight in the company’s short history clearly still aggravates The Ghost, whose arrogant little smirk twists into a scowl for just a second. She bites back as much of that emotion as she can, though, more because Kayla’s just doing her job than anything.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “…and just knowing you’re a much more experienced standup fighter, how have you prepared for a much more significant threat on the ground than you’ve faced up to this point?”
GIANNA HOWARD: “I mean, what am I supposed to say? Yeah, I know who I’m fighting, I know what I need to prepare for, I know that the best thing for me to do is just to not give her a chance to take me down. That’s been the question, too, how do you stop Izzi from submitting you–by staying on my feet.”
[Despite saying it as plainly as that, Gianna clearly knows it’s going to be more difficult than just saying that. Nonetheless, there’s a moment’s pause for effect from the Champion, who straightens up in her seat more.]
GIANNA HOWARD: “Here’s the thing about Izzi’s only chance in this fight: she’s never really shown anything on the feet, except throwing a few big shots with her hands. I don’t think she’s had a fight where she’s even thrown a kick, let alone connected with one, and as far as I’m concerned, this fight will be a kickboxing match unless she can do something to change that. So she has to find a way to beat me, at what I do better than the rest of this division, before she can even try to do what she does. She has to get inside, she has to land one of those shots that put Tim or Lena on wobbly legs, and then she has to hope that I’m off-balance. If ALL OF THAT goes in her favor, then she can start thinking about what to do once we’re on the ground. Did I train to deal with someone that rolls like Izzi does, yeah, of course I did–but she has to get the fight there. We start where I’m light years ahead of her, and…yanno, I think you’re gonna see how much of a difference that really makes.”
[Kayla finally seems satisfied and takes her seat to allow someone else a chance–this time, one of the local reporters stands up.]
???: “(Marcos Figueiredo, RIoMMA.com, this is a question for both Isabel and Gianna; if I’m not mistaken, this is a first professional fight in Brazil for either one of you, now…obviously that might mean more to Isabel, but what does it mean for you–first, Isabel, to compete in front of your hometown, and Gianna, to have to face what’s going to be a hostile atmosphere?)
[Izzi has the bonus of not needing a translator for once, so while Gianna’s having the question translated for her, she speaks up.]
ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(I couldn’t be more excited to get the chance to fight in Rio. The enthusiasm, the love, the passion the fans here have for the sport–I never got a chance to be a part of it before, not as a professional at least, and I’ve been hoping to get the opportunity, but for a long time, it…didn’t seem like we were coming back in the near future, so obviously I couldn’t just sit on the sidelines and hope. Now that we are here, though? The fact that we came back to Brazil, on the night I get a chance at the Bantamweight Championship, means the world to me, and I can only hope I can give everyone in that arena a reason to celebrate after the fight’s over.)”
MARCOS FIGUEIREDO: “(And, for you, Gianna?)”
[Izzi’s passion for her homecoming is juxtaposed by Gianna’s sly little smirk as she absentmindedly drums her fingers against the title belt laying in her lap.]
GIANNA HOWARD: “Honestly? It…doesn’t mean a whole lot to me, to be in someone else’s place. It doesn’t scare me to be in hostile territory, as you said. This isn’t the first time I’ve walked into someone else’s house and been determined to rip up the carpet, tear down the drapes, and make a general mess of the place. I fought Tim in Australia, those people were crazy about their fighters as well, and…what did it really change? People booed me instead of cheering me, is that really the worst that can happen? I find out that the Aussies were behind their guy one-thousand-percent. And I know being here, they’re going to be the same way, but…it doesn’t change anything when the fight starts. All being in Brazil does for this fight is this: for 5 rounds or until Izzi can’t stand up anymore, 20,000 fans are going to be screaming, shouting, wanting me to get put down, wanting me to get hurt, wanting her to choke me out or snap my arm or whatever–and after 5 rounds, or however long it takes for me to finish the job? 20,000 fans are going to go home disappointed, when I do what I do to their girl. It could be in any arena on the planet, it could be in any city, any state, any country, I’m going to tell you the same thing I’ve told everyone that’s tried to stop me…”
[Gianna takes a sip from her water bottle to pause for effect once again, glancing down the table to her challenger for a moment before turning her attention back to Marcos.]
GIANNA HOWARD: “I am the best at 135 pounds. Not one of the best, it’s not a question, it’s not a top 5 list or whatever, I am the best Bantamweight, and I don’t think there’s anybody on the roster I can’t put down, Izzi included. So…as far as I’m concerned, give her home field advantage. Make her feel comfortable. Y’all, scream as loud as you can for her, make her feel like the Queen of this place…because when the fight’s all over, I’m still going to be the champion.”
[Gianna leans back in her seat, going as far as to kick her feet up on the table while a translator explains the gist of what Gianna’s answer was to Isabel–who finds herself unable to bite back a laugh.]
ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(I guess, you heard her, guys–this weekend, show her what it means to be in a fight in Brazil.)”
[Izzi’s smile spreads even wider than before as she sets her mic down, and–whether he intended to be finished or not–both the Bantamweight Champion and her challenger seem to have decided Marcos’s time was up. As the two Bantamweight title fighters settle back into their seats, Kayla takes an opening once again to this time address the Middleweight Champion of the world.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “This next one’s for Travis. Travis this is not the first time you and Aries Reed have squared off, and the first time around things didn’t go your way. Obviously quite a bit of time has passed since then and things have changed, but do you feel things have changed enough to make you confident coming into this title defense?”
[Travis was merely enjoying the back and forth between the other Championship fight participants before he was called upon, simply sitting forward in his chair to answer without fanfare.]
TRAVIS DECKER: “Well it’s like you said Kayla, things have changed. The last time we fought Aries was one of the top fighters in this division, merely a step below Robert in terms of the best. I was coming off a three fight win streak, albeit against some not so top level talent, no disrespect meant to those men. Except Augustin Gates. That guy was the worst. Anyway yes he did beat me in that fight, but since then our journey’s have differed. I slid to another 2 losses before essentially rebooting my entire career, while he beat two of the best and then took a massive risk moving up weight classes. I respect you for taking a risk like that Aries, I really do. But to call it exactly how it is: you choked. Hard. Then you came back down and lost to Zion who earned himself a shot at the current champion: Me. I did exactly what you couldn’t, and I beat the man who is considered by me and many others the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now in Delaney Donovan to do it. Now you’ve looked good in your last few fights back in middleweight, on a 3 fight streak and now you step up to me, but I’m not just one of the best fighters in this division. I am THE best fighter in this damn division, and I have proved it every single time I step in that cage. I have defended this title 3 times against some of the best fighters in this division, and if you think I intend on letting my reign end now and not avenging my loss against you to make it 4, Aries? Well then I’d prepare to choke like you were back with the cruiserweights.
So, to answer your questions Kayla. Yes. I am confident.”
[Kayla smiles as she nods in recognition.]
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Fair enough. Now we saw the exchange between the two of you on social media, but just to get it straight from your mouth: If you defeat Aries Reed at UPG 36 and retain the middleweight Championship, will you agree to defend it against Byron McCall next?”
TRAVIS DECKER: “Honestly Kayla, while I answered Byron on twitter right now he is not my focus in any capacity. My focus is the man sitting across from me trying to take my championship. But, to answer the question and not leave it to any debate, the answer is no. I will not merely agree to fight Byron. If I retain this championship I absolutely WILL be fighting Byron McCall next. This is my last fight before my contract is up, and I think at this point Dante would be absolutely insane to say no to this at the bargaining table.”
[Kayla sits back down, finished with her questions as Travis sits back in his chair once again. None of the other reporters are signaling for time, so Dante Reed decides to chime back in.]
DANTE REED: “Alright, is that it for everybody? Y’all good? Alright then, thank you all for coming out here tonight, we’ll see you Sunday!”
[The crowd begins to applaud one final time while the PA system kicks in and the lights gradually flicker on. The feed gradually fades out, leaving only the Battleground Network Logo visible for the final shot.]
