(Updated – 9/21/2020)
Jessica-Rose Clark stepped into the octagon at UFC Fight Night 178 (aka UFC Vegas 11) on a two-fight losing streak. She walked out with a satisfying win that rejuvenated her love for the sport.
Though Alpar managed to mount some early pressure against the cage, Clark overwhelmed her opponent from the opening bell. Relying on her Muay Thai roots, Clark used an unrelenting flurry of hand, elbow, and knee strikes to dismantle the UFC newcomer. Referee Chris Tognoni stopped the bout late in the third round after Clark delivered a devastating right and alternating knees to Alpar’s head.
However, the fight wasn’t without controversy. Most observers, including UFC President Dana White, believed the fight should have been stopped sooner. Tognoni halted the action earlier in the round to review a knee strike that clearly injured Alpar. After determining the strike was legal, he allowed Alpar to continue. He wouldn’t call the fight for another two minutes.
When asked post-fight about her plans going forward, Clark said, “I never stop training, and never stop growing and trying to better my technique. So, I don’t care whether it takes me two months, I don’t care whether it takes me nine months to get back in and fight again.
“My goal is to be the best athlete that I can be and to be the best fighter that I can be. So that doesn’t usually happen in fight camp. So I would rather have a lot of time between fights, and be patient.”
You can watch the full press conference from MMAWeekly.com below:
Original article appears below.
Original Article - 9/18/2020
Two Team cbdMD athletes, Tyron Woodley and Jessica-Rose Clark will take to the octagon at UFC Fight Night 178 on September 19, 2020.
With all the hype, Tyron Woodley’s main event welterweight bout against Colby Covington feels like a title fight.
Woodley is well known for his no-nonsense approach to the sport. But he clearly has bad blood with Covington, which provides an extra layer of motivation for the former champion.
“Fighting at this level is a business, but this one's personal too,” Woodley tells us.
“I’m coming out of camp feeling amazing. I’m going in there strong. I’m not going to hesitate. And when it’s over, people are going to forget all the talk. They’re just going to see me with my hand raised.”
If you’d like to see how Woodley is preparing for his bout at UFC Fight Night 178, check out the first episode of “Champ Camp” below.
Both Woodley and Covington are former All-American collegiate wrestlers. But some analysts believe their experience on the mat could have a counteracting effect and discourage grappling.
As Covington is officially ranked as the number two contender in UFC’s welterweight division, Vegas oddsmakers currently favor him. However, MMA observers are quick to point out Woodley’s clear ability to end matches early through knockout.
Add to that, Woodley said in an Instagram live Q&A, “I will let my hands go.”
Jessica-Rose Clark looks to bounce back from a surprise loss to Pannie Kianzad at UFC Fight Night 163 in Moscow. On Saturday, she’ll take on Sarah Alpar, who makes her UFC debut.
Though Clark is favored by oddsmakers, she isn’t looking past her opponent.
“This sport is the love of my life. So you’re going to see me fighting for my life out there,” Clark said.
“I’m committed in every way. I’ve worked hard to prepare, and we have a plan. The outcome is completely within my control, and winning is the only option.”
Clark’s bantamweight bout versus Alpar will air as part of the preliminary card.
UFC Fight Night 178 will air live on ESPN+ from UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV.
Preliminary matches begin at 5:00 PM EDT.
The main card, featuring the Woodley vs. Covington main event, begins at 8:00 PM EDT.