ONE ON ONE FT. ISABEL AZEVEDO

[We open to an interview table, high above the T-Mobile Center with a decent view of the cage being set up ahead of this weekend’s UGP 48 card. On one side of the desk sits Isaac Cohen, dressed as ever up to the nines–on the other sits Isabel Azevedo, who looks more like she’s just come out of her weight cut and tried to clean up a little bit. Behind Izzi is a translator, although he makes a point of staying out of the focus of the interview.]

ISAAC COHEN: “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another Union GP One on One, ahead of this weekend’s massive Union GP 48, I’m here now with one-half of our co-main event, a battle between two top ranked Bantamweight contenders that could see whoever emerges with a win become a future challenger for Redd Lennox–please welcome, Isabel Azevedo, folks!”

ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(Hi again, Isaac! Thank you for having me.)”

[Beneath Izzi as she speaks are English subtitles, translating the Brazilian as she speaks–especially given she’s so animated that the translator doesn’t really get a chance to make the same statements Izzi makes.]

ISAAC COHEN: “Speaking of the Bantamweight Champion, we have to start on a disappointing note–you reached the finals of the Bantamweight Grand Prix, but came up short against Redd due to a doctor’s stoppage from a cut, which is obviously not the most satisfying way for a fight to end, win or lose; talk me through your thoughts on that fight, how do you feel, going back and watching it?

[Izzi winces a little bit at the reminder, and indeed, about her thoughts on the issue.]

ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(It’s the second time I’ve fought for the title, and the second time I’ve come up short, so…obviously, it was disappointing for a lot of reasons. You’re right, a cut is never the best way for a fight to end, you want to get that finish if you possibly can, and…yanno, you never know what can happen if a fight’s allowed to continue, but I’m not living under any crazy belief that I was winning that fight–Redd had won both rounds, that was pretty easy to see, so…disappointing, definitely, but these things happen.)”

[Isaac nods a little as he presses the issue a little.]

ISAAC COHEN: “A win this weekend over Eugenie Bombelles could put you right back in contention against Redd, though–was there anything about that first fight that surprised you, knowing you could face a second one soon?”

ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(I was mostly surprised by her strength; she was hard to take down, and she was able to just power through anything I threw her way, it was…remarkable, in a lotta ways. I’ve never had someone just stop me like that before, so…there’s definitely things to go and look at, if that’s the way things pan out in the future.)”

ISAAC COHEN: “This weekend, you face another difficult task, in the 15-1 Eugenie Bombelles, who’s a remarkably well rounded striker that only took her first blemish during the Grand Prix, to Rachel Parsons–who, if you believe in MMA math, you were able to take down and submit; does knowing that you were able to defeat the woman that hung the first loss on Eugenie give you any confidence, going into this fight?”

ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(You hit the nail on the head–if you believe in MMA math. I don’t, personally; every fight is a different thing, every round is a different contest. Eugenie and Rachel could rematch 5 times and I’d be willing to put money on there being 5 different results, so…I don’t put a whole lot of stock into the fact that I beat Rachel, who beat Eugenie, I think I’m going to be facing a focused fighter that’s trying to earn her way into a title opportunity, and…that’s about all I’m concerned with, as far as her record and her previous opponents goes.)”

ISAAC COHEN: “Fair point, I try not to get too tied up in MMA math as well, but with the fight between Rachel and Eugenie happening so recently, it felt relevant to the conversation–either way, I’m curious about your take on Eugenie as an opponent, you seem to be going through a streak of fighting really dangerous strikers.”

[Izzi laughs a little bit and nods.]

ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(Yeah, dating a long way back–Lena, Gianna, Ciaran’s got good boxing, Rachel, Redd, and now Eugenie–honestly, I see a lot of similarities between fighting Rachel, and fighting Eugenie. She’s incredibly aggressive, she pushes the pace until you have nowhere to go; she’s obviously an incredible kickboxer in particular, and she’s got really startling knockout power. I don’t think it’s in my best interest to try and trade punches with her–but, then again, nobody thought that about Lena, or about TIm either. It’s…it’s definitely a dangerous fight, she’s got that ability to put people down, so I have to be ready for whatever she throws at me. But, I’ve seen some holes in her game.)”

[Izzi stops to take a sip of her water, and allow the translator to catch up, before moving on.]

ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(I have to say this, with the understanding that the fighter who got taken down, controlled, and pounded on by Victoria Marshall, isn’t the same fighter that’s going to be stepping in the cage with me this weekend…but I don’t think she’ll have been able to get her ground game up to my level in that time. I think she’s reliant on that knockout power, so I’m going to give her a test of something else–because I think if I can get the fight to the mat, she won’t have anything for me. I think just about everyone who’s talked about this fight has said this, but it really is going to come down to where the fight happens–if it stays on the feet, she’s going to have the edge; if it hits the mat, I don’t think it’ll surprise anyone if I get my hand raised.)”

ISAAC COHEN: “You said you saw holes in Eugenie’s game, but obviously it’s one thing to see where she might be weak, it’s another thing to be able to take advantage of them–given how impressive she’s been, how dangerous her striking is, how confident are you that you can get the fight to the ground and possibly put her away?”

ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(I won’t pretend it’s going to be easy–to get a takedown, I have to get within range, and that puts me in Eugenie’s world. It’s going to be a dangerous moment, but I’ve taken down just about everybody I’ve ever fought, so I’m…not really stressed about whether I can take her down or not. It’s more about making sure I can make the most of it if I do. If I can get her down…I think I earn my way back to a title fight, and a chance to do better next time, than I did in the Grand Prix final.)”

ISAAC COHEN: “Well, fair enough–obviously a major fight, so we don’t want to take up too much more of your time. Just want to wish you luck this weekend.”

ISABEL AZEVEDO: “(Thank you so much!)”

[Izzi waves to the camera and flashes a big smile as the video comes to a stop.]