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UFC 321 Countdown takes an inside look at the promotion’s return to Abu Dhabi, where heavyweight king Tom Aspinall battles former interim champion Ciryl Gane. Plus, Virna Jandiroba takes on Mackenzie Dern for the vacant strawweight title.
UFC 321 Countdown takes an inside look at the promotion’s return to Abu Dhabi, where heavyweight king Tom Aspinall battles former interim champion Ciryl Gane. Plus, Virna Jandiroba takes on Mackenzie Dern for the vacant strawweight title.
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00:01In the world of combat sports, the heavyweight division stands tall above all.
00:08Larger-than-life athletes battle against a select few of the world's elite
00:13in an effort to take the most coveted title.
00:24Regarded as the baddest man on the planet,
00:28What a battle!
00:29The king of the heavyweights is feared and revered.
00:33Oh my God! He is a monster!
00:36The UFC's heavyweight division paints a rich history with a tapestry of top talent.
00:43The championship lineage represents a decades-long war.
00:48Contested by warriors.
00:50The ultimate title in combat sports, the heavyweight champ of the world!
00:54All vying for the crown.
00:56Everyweight the champion of the world!
01:01On October 25th, the next chapter will be written as newly crowned champion Tom Aspinon
01:07puts his undisputed title on the line for the first time
01:10against former interim champion Cyril Gunn.
01:13He is a monster!
01:15The evolution of the modern-day heavyweight is perfectly displayed in the skillset of the Brit.
01:21He's so fast, powerful, he can wrestle, he's got jiu-jitsu, he's got no re-carriers.
01:26His devastating rise, we've seen him reach the pinnacle of the sport.
01:29Oh!
01:30But the right hand is still!
01:33Tom Aspinon!
01:34What!
01:35No!
01:36He is the throne!
01:37I'm the best finisher in the UFC, man.
01:39Five small blood, that's it, you're done.
01:41And now considered UK MMA royalty.
01:45The King's next challenge comes from across the channel.
01:49French kickboxing sensation Cyril Gunn was forged in world-class striking competition
01:54and refined in the art degree.
01:56Cyril Gunn isn't your average heavyweight.
01:58Oh shoot!
01:59It is a masterpiece by Cyril Gunn!
02:02Patient, precise, powerful.
02:05Oh my goodness!
02:07It's percussive and concussive by Cyril Gunn!
02:13Gunn seeks redemption and the chance to finally claim undisputed UFC gold.
02:17I know already I'm a good fighter, but to have a belt, this is something different.
02:22This is my goal.
02:23And you.
02:24Total domination!
02:26If you're a human being and I hit you full power in the face, you're going over.
02:30And that goes for Cyril Gunn.
02:32No man alive, I'm telling you right now.
02:35It's going to be hard work avoiding that one shot for 25 minutes.
02:38UFC 321 is the dawn of a new era in the heavyweight division.
02:43And also for the strongholds.
02:45With the title vacant, two first-time challengers will battle for supremacy.
02:51Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Mackenzie Dirk.
02:53There's the tap!
02:54What a finish!
02:56Takes on fellow grappling specialist, Virna Chanjadova.
02:59There's the tap!
03:00Top of the boot chain Jiu-Jitsu.
03:02In a clash of elite technicians, where only one will lead the new champion.
03:08To become a champion of UFC, it will mean a complete promise for myself.
03:14It's my time to win this moment.
03:16Stop!
03:17Stop!
03:18I see myself getting my hand raised at UFC 321 by a performance of the night.
03:23There's the tap!
03:24Mackenzie Dirk!
03:26The Octagon returns to Abu Dhabi for another pivotal moment in UFC history.
03:31Ahead of the title fight double hair, we chronicle the journeys of the elite combatants.
03:40This is UFC 321.
03:44Countdown.
03:45This is going to be absolute fireworks.
03:46I cannot wait.
03:47For UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, the rise to MMA's most illustrious prize can
04:04be traced back to the mats of a humble home gym, and a lineage of martial arts knowledge
04:11passed down by his father.
04:17When I first started training any martial arts, I was probably about eight years old.
04:23My dad introduced me to martial arts.
04:25He was doing Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, and bits of Judo in the very, very early days of MMA.
04:31I used to do all the lessons in this garage.
04:35It's big enough for two people to stand up and grapple a bit against a wall, so you can
04:40kick and punch and do stuff in here.
04:43Tom was born in 93, and that was the year the UFC was, but just by coincidence.
04:49The mat used to be about this eye.
04:50Red.
04:51It was red.
04:52On that wall, there used to be some kind of screw thing sticking out, like a hook over
04:58there, so you used to have to be careful, you didn't bang your head on that.
05:01Yeah.
05:03So, yeah, a lot of time spent in this little room.
05:06I basically just wanted to spend more time with my dad.
05:21I got more into it, he got more into it, and the more interest that I showed, the more
05:26he wanted to push me in that direction.
05:28Everybody ready?
05:29Get on the wall.
05:30Get on the wall.
05:31Same drill as yesterday.
05:32Even way before I was a champion, I feel like I had the makeup mentally and physically
05:36of what it takes to be a champion.
05:37He's gonna throw a big left hand.
05:40Big right hand.
05:41Boom.
05:42Boom.
05:43I think he saw that and just ran with it.
05:45Keep going.
05:46Starting that.
05:47Straight left, straight right.
05:48Tom Stine's predominantly a grappler when he started MMA.
05:52He's always had that knowledge to be able to take people down.
05:56And then the boxing came along and the kickboxing came along.
05:59If he needs to grappler, grapple.
06:01He finishes fights.
06:02He's the best I've ever seen at doing that.
06:04Tom Asbender!
06:08Before the UFC, I was just fighting on local shows, basically.
06:11Oh, big shot!
06:12And he's out!
06:13Then I did a couple of fights on cage warriors.
06:16Tom Aspinall, a hulking heavyweight.
06:19A huge shot!
06:20Aspinall drops the bomb!
06:23Looking for the finish and it's over!
06:26And then I got the call up from the UFC shortly after that.
06:29The UK's Tom Aspinall makes his UFC debut.
06:33It's pretty much been the plan since Tom was able to walk
06:36that he would get here to the UFC.
06:38When I actually got to the UFC,
06:40I started putting a couple of wins together.
06:42He moves like a welterweight.
06:44I got in there.
06:45I didn't feel like it was any different, to be honest.
06:47Oh!
06:48What a finish!
06:49That's it!
06:50Wow!
06:51Once I realized that,
06:52and I knew that I was on the same level as these guys
06:54and that I can win these fights,
06:55it gave me a lot of confidence.
06:56So fast, so loose, precise.
06:59My decision-making under pressure.
07:02He does want to be the champion,
07:03and he has all the potential to do that.
07:05I'm a fighter!
07:07He's what sets me apart from everybody else.
07:09He's so fast for a big man!
07:11So dynamic!
07:13I get these quick wins and I get these quick finishes
07:15because I can make the decisions really well
07:17under immense pressure.
07:19His finishing ability is second to none!
07:23The improvement that I've made,
07:24especially over the last couple of years,
07:26has been absolutely massive.
07:28This is a calculated mission that him and his father
07:31have been on since he was a young man.
07:33Having my dad in my corner on fight night,
07:35I need to have him there
07:36because he knows me better than anybody.
07:38Keep your legs down!
07:40Straight arm-lock attempt here from...
07:42Asperger!
07:43He's done it!
07:44He's done it!
07:45He knows what I'm feeling.
07:46He knows what I'm going through.
07:47He knows what he needs to say.
07:48Very nice job! Beautiful!
07:54They have dreamt of this moment since he was a boy.
07:56Nobody's got my best interests at heart,
07:59more than my own father.
08:02In 2023,
08:04an opportunity was presented for Tom and his father
08:07to achieve their dream of UFC gold.
08:12Sergey Pavlovich is an absolute destroyer.
08:14This dude's a monster.
08:16I was fighting this guy
08:17who's just knocking everybody out.
08:19Tom Aspedal said,
08:20there are times I'm a bit scared.
08:22He said,
08:23but when I'm scared,
08:24I am more aggressive.
08:25I attack.
08:27Move away!
08:28Move away!
08:29Oh!
08:30Oh!
08:31Tom Aspedal!
08:32Whoa!
08:33That's it!
08:34That's it!
08:35Aspedal has done it!
08:37He is the UFC
08:38interim heavyweight champion of the world!
08:40Wow!
08:41That was like a lifetime work.
08:43My father has worked harder than anybody,
08:45so this belt is dedicated to my father.
08:48To give that to my dad,
08:49and have that moment,
08:50that was a very special moment for me for sure.
08:52As the new year rolled in,
09:01the heavyweight title picture remained unresolved.
09:04With questions swirling around champion Jon Jones' future,
09:08Aspedal redirected his sights toward avenging the only blemish on his UFC record.
09:13The first time that I fought Blades got injured.
09:20Whoa!
09:21Oh no!
09:22His knee's gone!
09:23Wow!
09:24His knee's gone!
09:25Oh, such a shame!
09:26I was out for over a year.
09:28I had a big knee surgery.
09:31Big rehabilitation process.
09:34Then I won the interim title,
09:36and then they wanted to do a rematch in my hometown of Manchester.
09:41Wearing the heavyweight strap,
09:43this is the moment for him to get revenge.
09:46That was like a full circle moment for me.
09:49I really just wanted to go in there and show that,
09:52look, this is what would have happened the first time.
09:55Tom Aspinall is an absolute specimen.
09:58He's in the best shape of his life.
09:59That fight was a lot of pressure for me,
10:02but I handle the pressure really well.
10:05I perform so much better when the pressure's on.
10:07Curti's connecting there,
10:09but the big right hand connects him down!
10:11Tom Aspinall!
10:12Blades nearly down an hour early!
10:14That's it!
10:15That's over!
10:16Tom Aspinall retains!
10:19As soon as I got the belt in any capacity,
10:21for me, I was always the best in the world,
10:23so I was ready to prove it against anybody.
10:25John Jones is probably watching this,
10:27so send him a message.
10:29Hello, John.
10:30I have nothing against you personally,
10:32but I just think I'm better than you.
10:34I just know that I can beat you in a fight,
10:37so I'm coming for it.
10:39Give it up for the interim champion of the world,
10:41Tom Aspinall!
10:45I was never trying to fight John Jones for any other reason
10:49apart from I wanted the undisputed title.
10:51This is a legacy fight!
10:53The consensus greatest of all time!
10:55The most accomplished heavyweight champion of all time!
10:58Oh!
11:00A heel!
11:01Right to the body!
11:03And still!
11:05Well done, John!
11:07The moment the fight was over,
11:10all people wanted to talk about was Tom Aspinall.
11:13This is what's got to happen!
11:15History says the younger guy wins.
11:18John is the undisputed champion of the world.
11:21Tom is the interim champion.
11:23This is how it works.
11:24You want legacy?
11:26Go and fight Tom Aspinall,
11:28who is the now and the future.
11:30The world wants to see Tom Aspinall versus John Jones.
11:36Jones called us last night and retired.
11:38John Jones is officially retired.
11:40With the retirement, Aspinall elevated to undisputed champ.
11:47I just wanted the undisputed title and he had it at the time.
11:51I thought it was gonna happen.
11:53I think that the year off that I'm coming off now
11:57was harder than being injured.
11:59Because I've been fit the whole time.
12:01I've been in the gym the whole time.
12:03I've been working the whole time.
12:05And I've not got to show that yet.
12:10But, that being said,
12:12I've been in the gym the whole time.
12:13I've been getting better the whole time.
12:16Knocked up my eye off the ball.
12:18And I've improved so much since my last fight.
12:21I've matured so much since my last fight.
12:23And I'm looking forward to showing that.
12:39After many years of hard work,
12:41it's my absolute pleasure to break out the map.
12:44To say the UFC Octagon is finally touching down
12:47in the great city of Paris, France.
12:50While MMA has been showcased around the world for decades,
12:55it wasn't until 2022 that the Octagon
12:59finally made its debut in France.
13:02The historic event was headlined
13:04by one of the nation's most elite fighters, Cyril Ghosn.
13:08Cyril is the face of mixed martial arts here in France
13:11and everyone is rooted for him.
13:13A heavyweight star on the global stage,
13:15Ghosn's success and popularity
13:17helped break down barriers for the sport.
13:19in his homeland.
13:21And now to be here for the first ever event in France.
13:24It had to be here.
13:25It had to be.
13:26Fueling an explosion of interest
13:27among one of the world's most passionate fanbases.
13:30Listen to this crowd.
13:32These fans are losing their minds.
13:35What a finish by Cyril Ghosn.
13:40The heavyweight's popularity and accomplishments
13:51helped pave the way for the sport in his home country.
13:54Now everybody know the event of Paris every time is a huge event.
13:59How impressive is French mixed martial arts?
14:02What a night!
14:03What a crowd!
14:04We're going to continue to grow up.
14:06I'm really happy and we're going to see a lot of French fighters
14:09more and more and more.
14:11Before the rise of MMA in France,
14:17Cyril Ghosn would parlay a successful Muay Thai run.
14:24Muay Thai in France is huge.
14:26He's just another product of that.
14:27You know, they have great, great striking out there.
14:29Into the world of mixed martial arts.
14:31I studied Muay Thai in 2015.
14:36Man, did he hit that man hard.
14:38I switched to MMA after my three years of Muay Thai.
14:41That is a scary heavyweight.
14:44Just one year after I did my first fight in the UFC.
14:49Ablely spearheading the massive mixed martial arts movement
14:53in his native France.
14:54Enter Cyril Ghosn.
14:56Ghosn looking for a submission here.
14:58Oh, and there's a tap!
14:59This man is a quick murder,
15:01and he has become one of the best heavyweights in MMA.
15:04Very expeditious.
15:05Oh, that's going to be it!
15:07Not many fighters enter the UFC,
15:09just 3-0 in mixed martial arts.
15:11But nobody has been able to solve this puzzle quite yet.
15:15And two years after this first fight in the UFC,
15:19I got developed.
15:21Impossible to predict this.
15:23There's an uppercut from Ghosn,
15:24and now a left hand.
15:25Lewis goes down.
15:27Oh, he's hurt. It's over.
15:28And that is it!
15:30Ziddle Ghosn!
15:31The interim UFC heavyweight champion!
15:33And it is safe to say,
15:35the MMA movement in France
15:37appears to be in the best of things.
15:44Ghosn's success in the division
15:46would eventually lead to a showdown
15:48with one of the sports greats
15:49for the vacant heavyweight title.
15:52Ziddle Ghosn, stoic as usual,
15:54as he tries to be the first man to beat Jon Jones.
15:58When I started the fight, I was not ill.
16:00Like, I was absent.
16:02If you're Ziddle Ghosn,
16:03you want to be as far away from the octagon side as you can be
16:05to try to defend takedowns.
16:06And unfortunately, I did a mistake,
16:08and when he's done, he's done.
16:11Jon's got the clinch.
16:13And he's got him down.
16:14He's making him carry his weight.
16:16He's attacking guillotine.
16:18We'll see how Ghosn is able to respond here.
16:21Oh, he taps!
16:23Jon Jones!
16:25The greatest of all time!
16:27And now the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world!
16:34After my loss against Jones,
16:35a lot of things changed.
16:38More Christian.
16:39Why you do that?
16:40And look at Cyril Ghosn's face.
16:42Do you really want that?
16:43He still looks in total disbelief.
16:46So now, he's different than before.
16:50This is what my mindset.
16:51Revenge.
16:53This is exactly what we did for the UFC Paris.
16:57Cyril Ghosn eyeing heavyweight goal down the line.
17:01And he's hoping he's going to come back again.
17:03Big style in front of his fans.
17:07Oh!
17:08This is the beginning of the end right now.
17:10Oh!
17:11Massive shots!
17:12That's it!
17:13Thunder of shots by Ghosn.
17:14He punches him to the canvas.
17:16It is a masterpiece by Cyril Ghosn.
17:19Hang it in the Louvre.
17:20Stand up for this man right there.
17:22Way to get back on track, Cyril Ghosn.
17:24And how exciting is the heavyweight picture right now?
17:26Tom Aspinall in there.
17:28Oh!
17:29Nice knee to the body by Ghosn.
17:30But tonight, you've got to beat Alexander Volkov.
17:33Oh!
17:34But if he can get past this fight,
17:35he puts himself in position looking at a title fight.
17:39UFC 321, October 25th.
17:41Eddie Hat Arena and Abu Dhabi.
17:43Tom Aspinall will face Cyril Ghosn.
17:53With another title shot on the horizon against Tom Aspinall in Abu Dhabi,
17:58Cyril Ghosn is taking a different approach to preparations
18:02for his opportunity at Undisputed Glory.
18:04Make the decision to come here because no distractions.
18:13I don't need to be focused on my family.
18:15I don't need to be focused on anything.
18:17I'm just focused on my training.
18:19Come on, come on, come on, come on.
18:22Don't talk anymore.
18:23Put your legs in there, please.
18:24Put your legs in there, please.
18:25The legs out.
18:28The feeling is we are already not in the fight week,
18:31but it seems like a fight week.
18:34The mindset is always different like this.
18:36The position you do.
18:38Baisse les fesses.
18:39Merci.
18:44Shoot hard, hard drive.
18:45He gonna pull.
18:46He gonna try to pull.
18:47When he pulls, that's your chance.
18:49You go in.
18:50Boom.
18:52I put everything I can do for this title shot.
18:57For no regret.
18:58Now you can switch.
18:59And you go lower.
19:00And kick.
19:02Yes.
19:03You must have been to that team.
19:14With the immense amount of sacrifice required for fight camp,
19:19it's important for fighters and their team
19:21to take time away from training to bond and recuperate.
19:27A VAC Zero gun knows well.
19:29We went to the restaurant together.
19:34And we're gonna sharing a lot of moments like this.
19:38Because we are in the same world.
19:40I got a mission.
19:41In Paris, we have a lot of Lebanese restaurants.
19:44So when are we gonna come here?
19:45We're gonna eat very well.
19:47Everybody is here.
19:48We're just chilling.
19:49Just eating.
19:50We're sharing.
19:51Oh, wow.
19:52We leave the family and we are all here for work together.
20:00So we are at that school to sharing some moments outside the kids.
20:04That's where you go.
20:05This camp is so long, so intense.
20:17We took so much time training.
20:20Sometimes you need to have a break.
20:22Sometimes you need to just switch and forget about the duty, the work, the task that you have to do.
20:29And then we go back.
20:39You see, it's not a needed job.
20:43Every good feeling you can have, take it.
20:47Take it.
20:48To prepare for the elite striking ability of his opponent, UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is working with kickboxing king and longtime friend, Rico Verhoeven.
21:09I even brought my old wrestling shoes.
21:12Oh, stop it.
21:14I'm here to help you.
21:15Okay.
21:16That's great.
21:17This is your camp, not mine.
21:19Rico is glory kickboxing heavyweight champion.
21:22He's been heavyweight champion for over 10 years.
21:25The best kickboxer in the world.
21:27And Cyril Gant, he's got a kickboxing heavy style.
21:31Rico came.
21:32He's here to help me.
21:33Kick him.
21:34One person go left-handed, one person go right-handed.
21:36He brings knowledge that nobody else in the world can.
21:39Let's go.
21:40Go, go, go, go, go.
21:41It's the best sparring I can get, really.
21:43Try and touch him.
21:45Tom's striking ability is on an elite level.
21:49In boxing, but also in kickboxing and definitely in everybody.
21:53Just chase him like you would in a fight.
21:54Go after him.
21:55Try and touch him with your feet.
21:57That's why he is the heavyweight world champion, because he's so all-rounded.
22:01What I really like is every time he wants to learn.
22:06Is it?
22:07Yeah.
22:08When he's got mold as big.
22:09Yeah, he goes.
22:10It's so nice to teach somebody that's on a really good level and still, like, so eager.
22:16Like, oh, give me more, give me more.
22:18And I'll just, like, throw more on him.
22:20Move your feet.
22:21Fake.
22:22Twitch.
22:23Jump.
22:24Every time he comes back, he's better.
22:26He feels easy.
22:27I know, but it doesn't feel easy for me.
22:29Yeah, yeah, yeah.
22:30He's so fast.
22:31And that's where his power comes from.
22:34He's so naturally strong and explosive.
22:38That's what makes him very special.
22:41And makes him very dangerous as well.
22:43That's perfect.
22:44That's really good, yeah?
22:45That's really good, yeah.
22:46Cyril Gan, he's a good points fighter for me.
22:48You know, he's a kickbox flicker and toucher.
22:51And he finishes fights, but he takes a lot of shots to finish people.
22:55Keep it touchy-feely.
22:57Everything quick.
22:58Tom's a lot more clinical.
23:00Move your feet to get around the front hand or knock it down.
23:05Don't kill each other.
23:07I don't think his skill set will cause him issues at all.
23:12It doesn't matter where the fight goes.
23:14Stay standing up or go to the ground.
23:16He's gonna win.
23:19End your work.
23:20If he hits clean, it's gonna be lights out.
23:25For some, the fame and fortune that comes with the title can have a negative impact.
23:38But for Tom Aspinall, his genuine passion for MMA has kept him focused on his championship reign.
23:45My life hasn't really changed much, to be honest.
23:52I live the same as I've always lived.
23:55I'm not going, driving around on yachts and buying loads of expensive clothes and doing all the rest of it.
24:00Like, it's just not really my scene.
24:03What I love is training, fighting and spending time with people that I love.
24:08That's what I'm doing right now with my life.
24:10There'll come a time when I can't do this anymore.
24:12And I want to use these years to enjoy it.
24:15To go and do what I love doing.
24:18And have big glory moments.
24:20That's what I want to do.
24:22For me, this is like the toughest part of the camp because you've still got such a long time ahead.
24:26Listen, that's the thing that you feel now.
24:29You feel like, oh, it's such a long time.
24:31And before you know it, you have another belt.
24:33Yeah.
24:34And you go to the next one.
24:36The most important thing is just enjoy it.
24:38That's it.
24:39Enjoy every freaking second.
24:42Because it's...
24:44Listen, I still feel like it was last year that I became world champion.
24:49Over a decade has passed.
24:50It just like flew by.
24:51It's crazy.
24:52When you're in camp, like one day just rolls into the next, into the next, into the next.
24:55And then before you know it, you've done six weeks, you're like, oh, ****.
24:58The legacy that I want to leave is that I was an entertaining fighter.
25:03That I had a really high fight IQ that I believe that I don't get any credit for just yet.
25:08And that I would fight anybody.
25:10I've never turned the fight down in my life.
25:14We're ready.
25:15We are ready.
25:16Born ready.
25:17You're gonna rise to the occasion, 100%.
25:18I think so.
25:19I always do.
25:29Similar to his opponent,
25:34Cyril Ghosn has recruited a champion caliber athlete
25:37to ensure all areas are covered
25:39for the upcoming title fight.
25:42For this camp, we're looking for a different sparring partner.
25:46Like, I live in wrestling or grand game.
25:51Now it's a good camp.
25:52You guys, one of the best in the world in wrestling.
25:57Iranian champion, living here.
26:01We have been focusing on Cyril Ghosn's wrestling since day one.
26:04Triangle that leg, this ankle on this.
26:07Yes, yes, yes.
26:08And now you can put your wig on that, okay?
26:10Make sure that you don't take the leg out.
26:12Go.
26:13Yes, thank you, thank you.
26:14Okay, now you see how, how that can be complicated.
26:18First fight in the UFC, he fought against a Brazilian black belt, Jiu-Jitsu.
26:24And he summed him.
26:26But, this time is next level grappling that we're facing.
26:31Yes.
26:34Cyril is a very smart fighter.
26:36Everyone knows he's a standing game, he's number one in UFC.
26:41In his fight with Volkov, had some mistakes.
26:45Now we work on that mistake, so he's not going to do that mistake again.
26:51He's going to show people how he improved a lot on his wrestling.
26:55His striking is so high, you know?
26:58He just need to know how to take down and then beat people with his hand.
27:05I spar a lot with some really good level sprang partner, but not famous like this.
27:10That's my leg.
27:12Here, now you can go.
27:13Don't go off of the cage, use the cage.
27:15Yes.
27:17To have this high level sprang partner, gonna help me to be more confident.
27:21Push him a little bit.
27:23Very good.
27:25I'm ready for the fight.
27:30So the moment has arrived for Tom Aspinall.
27:34He seems to be the evolution of heavyweight fighting.
27:37Oh!
27:38I see myself beating Gan the same as I beat anybody else.
27:43Whoa!
27:44He is the best finisher that we've ever seen in the heavyweight division.
27:47Doesn't matter who you are, now you hit your full power in the face, you're going over.
27:52Oh! That's it!
27:53They've all sort of crumbled under his pressure.
27:57Oh!
27:58I gotta go out there and show him why I'm gonna go off.
28:01Oh!
28:02The speed of Aspinall on display.
28:04That's it!
28:05Yeah!
28:07I won this like I never won before.
28:09Oh!
28:10Cyril Gunn is a tremendous athlete.
28:12I don't want to have any regret.
28:14That's why I did all I can do for that.
28:16Oh!
28:17This man's striking is some of the very best in any division.
28:21UFC 321, I win this fight.
28:24There is nothing in professional sports quite like a heavyweight championship fight.
28:28The ultimate title in combat sports.
28:36The co-main event of UFC 321 will feature a clash for the vacant strawweight title between two of the division's top-ranked fighters.
28:48Virna Janjidoba and Mackenzie Dern.
28:52For Dern, her journey in martial arts began in her earlier years under the coaching of her legendary father.
29:01As a child, I always thought it was like so cool to watch my daddy.
29:04For me, he was like a celebrity.
29:06He would go to like competitions and I'd watch everyone watch him and all his medals, and he would travel around the world.
29:12Okay, for the next five minutes, you're gonna just shoot single legs.
29:15I trained since I was three years old.
29:17It was just kind of part of our day-to-day routine.
29:21One, two, three.
29:23I was a Jiu-Jitsu instructor, so I spent a lot of time with her.
29:28I dragged her to the gym with me.
29:30Defende, defende.
29:31Let's go.
29:32Let's go to another position better.
29:33She grew up going to trainers and training.
29:36Coming to the academy every day, pretty much.
29:40Perfectly executed by Byrne.
29:42When I was a kid, I would beat up on some of the boys, you know, and I was fighting, like, girls bigger.
29:47And then people were like, man, she's good, that's Megaton's daughter, that's Megaton.
29:51And then I started getting that theme as Megaton's daughter.
29:54And then I felt a little bit of the pressure just from the fans, you know, like I wanted to represent him good.
30:00The IBJJF number one-ranked female black belt in the world, McKinsey Derns!
30:14When I made the transition to MMA, he was against me going to MMA just because, you know, he didn't want, like, to see his daughter get punched in the face.
30:20Look at the way Derns tied her up like a pretzel!
30:24It's goodnight, Irene!
30:26Oh, you know, my reaction, I say, baby, why don't I go be a mother? It's so beautiful. Why won't you get punched in the face?
30:38But we coming from a martial arts family.
30:42She got the chokes locked up here.
30:45As she started doing, and I see, oh, man, she can handle the situation, she can protect herself.
30:51So I start feeling a little bit more comfort with that idea.
30:56So here is the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and two-time world champion, McKinsey Dern.
31:02And among those in her corner, the legend, her father, Wellington Megatone Diaz.
31:07Oh! Big right for Dern!
31:09And now under the chin, there's the tap, McKinsey Dern!
31:13My relationship with my dad has been really, really good since I'm little, especially him being a coach.
31:19This victory was for you, Dad. I love you.
31:22He's done such a good job of just keeping my feet on the ground.
31:26The feeling is hot. Maybe even UFC champion, according to some, from McKinsey Dern.
31:31My dad's legacy is Jiu-Jitsu.
31:34There's no one on planet Earth in her division that could submit people like she can.
31:39I just felt like I needed to represent Jiu-Jitsu and my dad the best way possible.
31:42However, because of the ability on the ground, McKinsey's always strong with bad intentions because she doesn't fear ending up on the ground.
31:51Oh! The knee waddles heel! Oh! That's a huge elbow!
31:55And so for me to be able to learn and hang in there with all the best of the best just means that you never stop believing in yourself and in your dreams and work hard and you can accomplish anything.
32:05Oh, really? Sits back and there's the top!
32:09Wow!
32:10And now everything is aligned. She looks like championship material.
32:13For Virna Janjidoba, her road to the UFC began from a desire to cope with the challenges she faced in her early years.
32:28So, since I was a kid, I was born in Strabica.
32:35I was a kid who had a physical difference, right?
32:40So, to deal with this bullying that I suffered, I didn't have much resources. I was a kid.
32:45I think I was a kid.
32:49What I did was I was a kid.
32:52And in Jiu-Jitsu, I found out that I was good.
32:55So, I thought, oh my God, I got hooked on that. I'm good at that.
32:59And then she comes and encourages me.
33:01She comes and gives me self-esteem, gives me security, right?
33:04And I think the fight was a very important tool for me in that sense.
33:09Janjidoba's talents in Jiu-Jitsu lead to a transition into MMA.
33:14Beautiful shot from the outside by the Buzan.
33:16Oh, that aesthetic, TJ!
33:18Amy Montenegro touts! Verna Janjidoba!
33:20Wow!
33:21A championship reign in Invicta would earn her a shot in the UFC.
33:26Verna Janjidoba, still the strongweight champion!
33:29But she was immediately challenged by a higher level of competition.
33:32All right, so here is the much-hyped former Invicta FC champion, the undefeated Vina Janjidoba, making her UFC debut here tonight.
33:45And then I came and fought with Carla Espazio.
33:48She was very thankful to draw a former UFC champion, Carla Esparza, tonight.
33:53So, I think I started with a very high record, right?
33:56Carla Esparza, Vina Janjidoba, a competitive fight. They go the full 15 minutes.
34:01I had a victory later.
34:03She got six rear naked chokes, a triangle choke, three arm bars, and 11 wins by submission on your record.
34:10I had two more wins, right?
34:12But you realize quickly in the UFC that you have to have a little bit of everything.
34:16And there is no margin for error in this UFC strawweight division.
34:18It was very delicate moments for me that I questioned myself, right?
34:23Because I thought that, to be a champion, you had to be invicta, right?
34:27Like, I didn't admit the losses.
34:30I thought a lot, right?
34:31And then we saw Charles, right?
34:32And many others.
34:33Janjidoba is so strong physically.
34:34Once she gets on there, she has an elite grappling pedigree.
34:35I've matured a lot, right?
34:36To understand how things work.
34:37To understand what I needed to be among the best, right?
34:41To understand what I needed to be among the best, right?
34:54There's the top!
34:55Piranov, Janjidoba.
34:57Second round submission.
34:59Keep moving.
35:00Good, good, good, good, good.
35:03I knew I needed to work hard.
35:08I knew, I knew.
35:09I was sure.
35:10And I think that's what I did.
35:13I worked.
35:14Despite the adversities, despite the frustrations, right?
35:18Because one thing is you dreamt,
35:20another thing is the realization of this dream.
35:24This young lady is sure that she can challenge for the UFC belt,
35:27and I think she's going to get an opportunity to do that.
35:30Now it's my timing.
35:31I'm an ethical defender.
35:33Big things coming up.
35:34Bacon's strawweight title being a Janjidoba.
35:36Take it on, Mackenzie Derm.
35:44The pressures of preparing for a title fight
35:47often require a brief intermission from training.
35:51For Virna Janjidoba,
35:53a break for her comes in the form of a visit
35:57to a favorite pastime of the region.
36:04Cheio de picota.
36:06For me, it's very important to have my leisure moments, right?
36:12I'm very disciplined
36:13and sometimes I'm very rigid also with myself, right?
36:18I always try and seek leisure
36:21so that I amenize everything,
36:24so that I carry things in a way more light.
36:28It's beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
36:29It's beautiful.
36:31It's beautiful.
36:33The real Cirque Real Estrella
36:34is already in the city for a long time.
36:36In the North Carolina,
36:37we have a lot of this culture
36:38of Cirque and so on.
36:44I'm so happy, right?
36:45Even though I've been in some Cirque
36:47I've been talking to my mother,
36:48it's different.
36:51My child played there, right?
36:53The guy called me,
36:55And then we made a number, kind of improvise, and he said, follow me.
37:15And I was excited about how they do it, and how they train them to do it in a way so beautiful.
37:22I also made a parallel with the fight, because when we enter there, it's also an adventure, a challenge.
37:29You're going to fight and everyone's looking, and you're there, exposed to applause, and to everything.
37:37But you're there, you're doing the show, I thought it was wonderful.
37:52The ability to inspire others is a beneficial byproduct of success in the Octagon.
37:59In Mackenzie Dern's case, it offers the chance to pass along the values learned throughout her career to her daughter.
38:06Becoming a mother has been everything I thought it was going to be, and way more.
38:13It's always my dream to have kids.
38:17It's just such a blessing, it's like the purest, unconditional love.
38:21He loves to follow you.
38:24My daughter's Moa, she loves animals.
38:26So, we got our first horse in January, Apollo.
38:30I'm going to take him out, just me and her, and we'll ride together, and we'll go on the trails.
38:36She's like my best friend, you know, she's definitely a little mini me.
38:43I got some pictures of me watching my dad fight, and of Moa when she was watching me fight,
38:48and it's the same face, it's the same look in the eyes.
38:53She sees my walkout, and she just looks at me like, man, my mom is so cool.
38:58It's so important for Moa to see the side of her mom working.
39:03The best way for her in life, no matter what she decides, that she'll see like,
39:08hey, we got to work hard for things, and sometimes we're going to have wins and losses.
39:13Just kind of trying to teach those values that fighting, and jiu-jitsu, and training,
39:17and being an athlete has taught me.
39:21Everything I do now, my biggest motivation is her.
39:26I want her to know when we get this belt, that it's not just mine, it's hers.
39:30Because it wouldn't be possible without her.
39:38The fight for strawweight gold at UFC 321 will not be the first time Dern and Janji Doba have met.
39:46The lessons learned from their first encounter will no doubt play a factor into the outcome of their upcoming rematch.
39:53You ready? Let's fight!
39:56It was a very good fight for us both. It happened a lot there, a lot of changes too.
40:00Mackenzie, right away, you see her hands look smoother even than her last fight.
40:07Oh! Nice shot by Janji Doba.
40:09It was in the second round that she ended up breaking her nose with her shoulders.
40:15Dern has set a crazy striking pace tonight, clearly has worked hard on her conditioning.
40:20Janji Doba is very good with those knees in the clinch. Dern got cut, Joe.
40:24And the fight changed a little bit.
40:28Oh, it looks like her nose was moving. Did you see that?
40:31Yeah, and if you look at the impact, the way it hit, it's understandable.
40:36Once we got to the corner, I asked my coach, I'm like, is it broken? I freaked out.
40:40He's like, no, it's fine. It's not broken. I think her nose is broken.
40:43No, you're fine. Don't worry about your nose. Your nose is fine.
40:45All right, we got to get busy this next round, all right?
40:48And then I came out the third round, like, and I just went for war.
40:52Pretty good counter right up top from Janji Doba.
40:54Oh! Mackenzie hurt her!
40:56I kind of showed I can go through hell and still hang in there.
41:00These women understand that this fight is out there to be taken, and they are letting it all go.
41:06And I think that that's intimidating, because not everyone can do that.
41:09So, what I got positive from this fight, from this frustration, is to identify what your opponent has to do better.
41:20And you deal with that, to find solutions for that, and that's what we've done.
41:25That this revenge with Mackenzie, somehow, I think it had to happen.
41:29With the vacant strawweight belt on the line, Mackenzie Dern prepares for her rematch with a long-time coach.
41:44It has helped refine the fighter into a title-worthy contender.
41:49I started training Mackenzie over five years ago.
41:55She fights crazy, she fights with a lot of heart, a lot of tenacity.
41:59Hush, there it is.
42:01Meeting her and getting with her and training with her, I found out that she's a very coordinated, very athletic woman.
42:07You know, she just, you know, has had no guidance.
42:10Hush, hands in motion while we're kicking.
42:12Hide those kicks behind the hands.
42:14Hush!
42:15To climb the levels of any fight sport, you need development.
42:18You need to understand where you're improving and what you need to improve on.
42:21Hush, bend the knees.
42:23One.
42:24Hush, rotate, head down.
42:26Hush, head, feet.
42:27Hush, head, feet.
42:29She's a very emotional fighter.
42:30I find all fighters fight emotion.
42:32You know, the great ones learn to control it better than the others.
42:35Hush, hush, hush, hush.
42:38Good job, Mackenzie.
42:39And she's developed a lot better head on her shoulders, better eye of where she's going, better direction where she's going.
42:46She's where she needs to be.
42:47I like that right there.
42:48Not overcommitting, just controlling what's in front of you with those shots.
42:52That's good timing on it.
42:54Her strength is that offbeat rhythm.
42:56She's a hard read.
42:57She can hit you, you know, when you're not expecting it.
43:00Stay calm with that.
43:01You're going to start fighting the target a little bit over the court side.
43:04At the end of the day though, she's got to have a stronger mind than Mackenzie going in there to be able to do that.
43:09Don't think about the home run.
43:10Just try to relax a little bit more so you can be a little more accurate with it.
43:13There you go.
43:15So Mackenzie's going to go out there and really show that she truly is a world champion.
43:19I'm always training the stuff that I'm weak at.
43:25I prefer to like not be surprised for anything in the fight.
43:29Whatever comes, you know, it's not going to be anything that's going to surprise me.
43:33All the hard work is going to pay off.
43:35I don't see it going any other way.
43:38I'll be the new champion.
43:49Knowing the dangers that her opponent's ground game presents.
43:54Virna Janji-Doba and her team have been hard at work sharpening her skill set.
43:58To assure she's 100% prepared for the rematch.
44:02Single body log.
44:04Single body log.
44:06Easy.
44:08As a athlete, Virna grew up a lot.
44:12She developed a lot of Jiu Jitsu.
44:14She's always had Jiu Jitsu phenomenal.
44:17But her adaptation to the MMA was very good.
44:22Let's go over-hook.
44:24That's it.
44:26Give it up.
44:28That's it.
44:30She has a different game from all the other categories.
44:32Jiu Jitsu aggressive.
44:36Jiu Jitsu técnico.
44:39Mackenzie is a very aggressive athlete.
44:41Very courageous.
44:43Very emotional.
44:47It's a Jiu Jitsu phenomenal.
44:50Ae!
44:51Very good!
44:53With Mackenzie doing a comparison,
44:56inside the MMA,
44:57I don't have a doubt that the Divina is better than her.
45:00Good control.
45:01Good.
45:02Perfect.
45:03It's good.
45:04This fight will have a little bit.
45:06I think Mackenzie will enter a little bit differently.
45:08She can be wanting to surprise Virna.
45:10It's better, Andu.
45:11Now she's going to go.
45:13That's it.
45:14Virna will always be a step in front of her.
45:16It's the story, right?
45:17The same person has never been swimming twice in the same river, right?
45:21Oh, put a right hand behind it.
45:23Impulse the speed!
45:24Speed!
45:26Naturalmente,
45:27nós não somos as mesmas pessoas,
45:29tanto eu quanto ela.
45:30This is not the same fighter
45:32that lost to Mackenzie Dern.
45:34Como eu tenho falado,
45:36eu trabalhei muito
45:37aspectos técnicos,
45:40aspectos físicos, emocionais.
45:43A very, very dangerous
45:45115-pound woman right there.
45:47Então, eu acho que estou muito amadurecida comportamentais.
45:50Eu estou muito mais madura do que eu estava há 5 anos atrás.
45:54Jack Shadoba is absolutely one of the best.
45:57É o momento perfeito,
45:58que é o cenário perfeito pra eu buscar essa vitória.
46:02Eu estou pronta pra ser campeã da UFC agora.
46:04Essa garota é certeza
46:06que ela pode ser campeã da UFC agora.
46:08Láva-se braço!
46:17Eu tenho advantage em todas as áreas.
46:22Minha estriquinha vem tão longe
46:24em 5 anos.
46:25Minha estriquinha é melhor do que nunca.
46:29Minha estriquinha é melhor.
46:30Minha estriquinha é melhor.
46:31Se você tiver para o lado.
46:35Sim, Kixinhaف!
46:36Então venci a Mackenzie,
46:38não só venci a Mackenzie,
46:55mas o principal é o cinturão.
46:57The cinturon, right?
46:58There's the top, Pyrrha-Chanjinova!
47:01I see myself out of the victory, right?
47:04That's what I see.
47:05I see myself out of the victory in the UFC 321 and with a cinta here.
47:08The battle for strawweight gold leads the way for the main event.
47:12Where heavyweight champion Tom Aspin...
47:15He's so dynamic, absolute one punch knockout power.
47:19Oh!
47:20...attempts to defend his undisputed title against Cyril Ghosn.
47:23This match is a problem.
47:25And he literally just breaks people down.
47:27It all goes down in Abu Dhabi for UFC 321.
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