UFC on ESPN 69: Mansur Abdul-Malik post-fight interview
UFC on ESPN 69 winner Mansur Abdul-Malik talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight after his technical decision victory over Cody Brundage in Atlanta.
ATLANTA – Mansur Abdul-Malik thought he was getting his hand raised after a TKO finish of Cody Brundage, but was confused when the official result was announced.
After two rounds of relatively routine action, Abdul-Malik (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Brundage (11-7 MMA, 5-6) flipped a switch and came out swinging furiously to start the final round. Abdul-Malik got the better of the heated exchanges, and put together a finishing sequence after leaping in with a knee to score what everyone believed initially was a TKO.
However, after review, the result was changed to a technical decision because of an accidental clash of heads when Abdul-Malik leaped into Brundage with the knee.
“I need to rewatch the fight, but most importantly, it wasn’t intentional,” Abdul-Malik told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “Whatever happened, happened. The ending was the ending, and whatever logistics played out with it, that’s the way it was. But I’m sure I did my job. It wasn’t the most clean job in my eyes, but this is the game.
“I came out with my hand raised, I showed something that I haven’t showed before in that third round. Don’t talk to me about cardio. Don’t talk to me about wrestling. Don’t talk to me about striking. Don’t talk to me about grittyness or being young or inexpereinced. I showed something that I wasn’t able to show before. I’m grateful. It is what it is.”
Since Brundage was unable to continue after the accidental foul, and the fight reached the third round, the rules state that the fight goes to the scorecards, including the judges determining who won the 36 seconds of fighting in the last round.
“I thought it was a finish,” Abdul-Malik said. “It looked like a finish. It felt like a finish. That wasn’t an intentional headbutt. I didn’t even know our heads clashed. Very, very confusing ending. I need to watch the fight back myself. It is what it is. In my eyes, it was a finish. I was on top throwing strikes, he was covered up.”
With his third UFC win in the books, Abdul-Malik hopes to get a few more fights in this calendar year – three if possible.
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