ONE ON ONE FT. REDD LENNOX
Kayla Chapman and the Bantamweight Champion Redd Lennox are walking alongside Cochiti Lake in New Mexico for this edition of One On One. The champion wanted a little change of scenery after this grueling camp she’s been putting herself through, and thought here would be a nice place for that.
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Here we have another edition of One on One and at this time I joined by the Bantamweight Champion Redd Lennox. How are you feeling today champ?”
REDD LENNOX: “I’m feeling really really good. We are here in Mexico, the fight is just a day away and everything’s just floating on the right vibrations. I’m glad to be joining you this evening Kayla.”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Last time we saw you it was in a five round title fight with the former champion Gianna Howard. A fight many are calling the upset of the year, and maybe one of the biggest upsets we’ve seen in combat sports. Take us through that night, what was the feeling going into the fight?”
REDD LENNOX: “Up and down.”
Redd laughs momentarily.
REDD LENNOX: “The whole day you’re just going back and forth in your mind wondering if the game plan is gonna work, wondering about not leaving with the belt and cementing my name in Union history, thinking about that million dollars that’s gonna be on the line in the finals. It was a lot, but once the cage doors locked all of that had to leave my mind, and once the fist starting getting thrown it was just time get in that mode.”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Gianna had shown some of the best defense in the sport for a while, but you came out there and just picked her apart. Is that what you and your coaches imagined?”
REDD LENNOX: “Most definitely. Coach Pluggz saw a couple of flaws that we could’ve maybe exploited. One, being that she’s not gonna bring the pressure as much only if she has too, so let’s keep the pressure on her. A lot of the time people have tried that but they just fall into her traps. We knew that with her second flaw she couldn’t trap me, she couldn’t sit back and just wait for me to gas out, because her Muay Thai game has been non existent. So instead of me gassing out, I put the pressure on her and a little weight in the clinch along with some nice punches. We neutralized her and made her fight my fight and she couldn’t.”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Now that you are the champion how does it feel?”
Redd smiles while looking over at the Bantamweight Championship on her shoulder.
REDD LENNOX: “It feels like everything I’ve worked for. People don’t know how I’ve got into this sport, and how I’ve gotten here. It’s been trial and tribulations but, to be standing here as the champion is literally everything. This solidifies me as the best in my class and that’s exactly what I am. I am truly proud to be holding this belt, and very honored to be defending here in New Mexico.”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “The last time UGP was in New Mexico Pluggz was defending against Derrick La’Bell in his second title defense. Fast forward three years later and here you are about to do the same thing. There has been many comparisons to you and your coach, you both stepped on the scene and rose quickly through the ranks, you both have won a championship. Only thing you haven’t done is win a tournament which brings us to UGP Forty Four. You’ll be taking on Isabel Acevedo in the Main Event, of course for the championship but in the Grand Prix finals. What has it been like leading up to this fight?”
REDD LENNOX: “A lot of work. I’ve shit off social media for the most part. Didn’t wanna have too many interruptions. My focus has to be on Isabel. So that’s where it’s been. I know everything that she can bring to the table. She’s gonna try and do what she does best as soon as the fight begins, so I’ve been doing everything in my power to not let that happen. I wanna show the world that I’m not just a stand up fighter who can’t defend takedowns. I wanna be the first fighter she doesn’t get to the mat. I’ve been working hard at that. She’s gonna be tough no doubt, but I think I have the tools to go out there and leave with the belt.”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Do you expect to see a different approach from Izzy?”
REDD LENNOX: “Nah, she’s a bonafide BJJ specialist. Where her magic happens is on the mat. The goal is to defend the takedowns and I feel like she’s pretty much walking into my field if she can’t get me down to the mat. I don’t see her out dueling me on the feet, but she does have that sneaky power. She can catch you with a punch that could change the night, but seeing her trying to do anything different than what she normally does will honestly throw me for aloof.”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “One more question before we hang we wrap this up. How do you see this fight ending?”
REDD LENNOX: “With me finishing her. I wanna come out there and show everyone that I am really the real deal, and that my fight with Gianna wasn’t a fluke, and that my spot in the pound for pound is well deserved. So I really wanna do what I’ve been doing most of my career and that’s leaving people sleep on the canvas. I wanna be the first person to do it to Izzy. That’s the only way I see this fight ending.”
KAYLA CHAPMAN: “Once again thanks for having me Champ, and with that we’ll see you all later. Have a blessed one.
The transition fades with the Bantamweight Champion waving goodbye before transitioning into the UGP 44 poster.
