UFC Brendon Marotte Talks About His Fight Against Terrance McKinney

hello I'm Scott bogy and I am here with the kid brandan M morot ahead of his fight against Isaac dgan how you doing today good my man thanks for having me on how you doing today and then not too bad and how are you feeling for this upcoming fight man I feel great uh camps wrapping up smooth uh it's the closest to 100% I've ever been coming into a fight um I'd say I am 100% I've been here down in Sy the past five months under H head coach John Wood so everything's uh the same but different man um you know I still hit hard I still fight the way I fight but I'm just levels above where I was so this fight I'm super super excited for um I'm really gon to be able to show out what I can do and how has that move for toston to get been compared to your other gyms it it's been good man I mean um Vegas is obviously like one of the meccas of fighting in the the mecca of fighting in the world it's home to some of the biggest gims and some of the biggest names but um it was just something new um and you know I I love working with John Wood he his IQ for fighting is insane uh he can take any guy with any style and figure out what works best for them and what doesn't and uh adjust your game to where he's not changing you he understands every fighter is different but he also understands that with every style there's certain things you should and should not do and just the the level of training partners and the amount of training partn it's uh so many great guys out Syndicate so anyone you fight uh in the cage whoever your opponent is you're gonna have two to three looks you know in the gym with your training Partners so that was definitely the biggest things was um you know just having that many training partners and the the IQ and the level of coaching that John would have and you were meant to have a fight scheduled in March against Muhammad IM Yaya what happened surrounding March yeah no yeah yeah so that fight we were going to have at 145 pounds and I suffered a uh injury nothing crazy but enough where you know it affected the breathing and we were thinking about pulling out and uh we had talked to sha Shelby we're like all right like we're on the fence about it but then the very next day he actually reached out or like two days later he reached out as well he had a uh staff infection so we it just ended up getting scrapped the whole thing then we tried to reset it for this past Saudi Arabian card that just happened unfortunately I got the name we're like yep we already said yes because we knew it was going to get rescheduled and like two weeks later my manager gives me a call uh ya ya wants to stay at 155 he's not going down to 145 uh which I thought was silly he's not a 55 he doesn't have the size he might have the height but you know he's he's too thin he's not strong enough to that division so that's how we have landed the fight now where at we tried to get it done twice with Muhammad but didn't work out and would you ever go up to M 155 uh no no not really um I I'd be on the smaller side as far as build I'm 510 I have the height but uh I just don't have the natural build like some of these guys like DUS porier and you know these guys they just got to meet on them they're real 155s I mean in the future man I have all the faith and confidence in the world myself and uh you know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I'm going to do big things at 145 and I'm going to start by proving that with this fight you know years down the road if it makes sense you could see me at 55 if it makes sense if if if money was there if it was the right opponent or maybe um you know late notice another 45 or once a partay 55 that I never mind but committing myself to being a lightweight no I don't see that and obviously in your debut for the UFC it was against ter mckin it was a 7c defeat what was going what surprised you in that fight man you know nothing surprised me honestly I think yeah I think it was like 22 seconds um it's the first time I ever been finished and here's the thing that people don't notice and realize and you know you get a lot of these casual bums they like to message you and say crap but let's understand that uh by amateur being an amateur champion and then being a professional even a professional out of my eight wins five or no six of them are finishes one submission and the rest TKO Kos I think everyone forgets that I have the power to knock dudes out and submit dudes but here's the thing man we all get clipped at one point we've seen at the lowest level we've seen at the highest level I came in on five days notice up a weight class but still had the crash and cut weight real quick even though it was at 55 I walking around at like 17 before go from New England to Vegas inside 5 days cut the weight go do the medical go do this and I fought a guy who either goes to sleep or puts you to sleep there's no one between with par kiding the guy's a stud so no I wasn't surprised you know I was disappointed when it happened but I knew someone was gonna go someone was head was gonna hit the deck in that fight unfortunately it was mine but man I I take no nothing bad from it besides you know lick my wounds for a couple couple days and I got back up we all get clipped it happens and uh you know I'm Gonna Keep clipping guys the way I have and if I get clipped it is what it is man the best thing we can do is just prepare for these fights and once the fight's over reflect on it and then [ __ ] get over it my man um was there any nerves heading into this fight into that fight yeah definitely I feel like some of those like your first fights as an amateur and then your first couple fights as a pro those extra nerves came in just because it was for the UFC it was on a big stage um I'd like that it was in the Apex because it's about the size of the venue and cage we fight in on the local shows you know um but as far as fighting another man no I'm never afraid of another man ever ever um you know there's a thin line between being cocky arrogant and having confidence in yourself um but no extra nerves to fight a fights a fight um I'm I'm not stupid I understand what danger is I understand what my opponents can do to me but yeah there were little extra nerves but um even this time second time around going into the Apex Center those little extra nerves are gone shake them off it is what it is and speaking to some Fighters they talk about the first fight is actually at that LS being able to look at their opponent seeing if he's nervous just what emotions they are do you feel that is the case 100% I love weigh-in I hate the way cut but I love weighin I just spend you know eight to six weeks six to eight weeks training to fight one guy and uh I don't care who you are you build up that opponent in your head you make them out to be better than they are stronger than they are tougher and scarer than they are and I love getting to weigh-ins because you know whether you want to shake my hand or not I get to shake your hand you're a human you're a man just like me if I cut you you're gonna bleed if I hit you in the temple you're gonna get rocked I love weighings love it and what's your opinion on Puck and smack to your opponent either before the fight or even during the fight yeah man I mean I love it I don't mind it number one I think a lot of people forget and uh in this Sports entertainment first you can be one of the greatest guys win every fight but like we've seen in many fighters you win your fights but you're boring yeah you know you're mute you don't talk during interviews you don't talk during face offs and you go out there and you just try to win by baby touch points or just by laying on someone this is the entertainment business first I don't care what anyone says so I love it I don't mind if people talk [ __ ] I talk a little bit of [ __ ] in my post um you know I've had people talk comment back to me in the past I'll join in man uh my brain's Bulletproof the the way I was raised and everything I love the trash talk if anything it's G to build the fight up it's gonna make it more exciting um some other guys might not like it if they're weak-minded it gets in their brain but I love it it only fires me up I welcome it uh obviously Fighters like MV and Carl Williams they have said that the UFC have said if they don't become more exciting that they would be released do you feel like that was the case and what's your take on like that whole situation yeah that's the case 100 per. like don't get me wrong I love standed up fights and some people you know I'll have casuals call me a guy who's in the UFC a freaking casual they're like oh well that's part of the sport I go yeah of course it's part of the sport man I love watching someone pick someone up slam them and then start beating the piss out of them droing elbow going for submissions as much as I like the Striking even if I prefer the Striking a little bit more because it's still entertaining when you go out there and you're try to win strictly by points hit run hit run hit run you know it this isn't boxing it's not entertaining I don't want to watch that and I don't want to watch you wet blanket someone throw a couple rabbit punches so yeah I mean I feel like people are learning that we have to get back to the exciting aspect of the fight uh don't lose a fight over it but there's a big difference between losing a fight over trying to be too exciting and then being a wet blanket a boring guy it's like I've said I've said it million times and I'll always continue to say this is an entertainment sport first I sry about your opinion on martial arts because the fans don't give up you know and even if you do take it on the ground even if you are looking for the finishes can still be exciting instead of justment down yeah and i' like I said I've had people like oh you just you don't like wrestling oh you typical Striker head you know dude I've seen some guys get on top of other guys beat the bag out of them you know they're ripping submissions left and right they're trying to finish the fight that's exciting that's a fight because my idea of a fight is you are trying to finish your opponent at all times yeah if you're just trying to lay and prey or win by points just touching and moving and not doing damage that's when that really becomes a sport you know if you're trying to finish the fight no matter where it is if you're trying to finish it now you're fighting now now we're now we're UFC now we're fighting we're remembering what the app stands for in UFC and what do you feel like obviously the big difference is the pay between the regional promotions and the UFC but what other major differences is there just the professionalism of it I mean getting Medicals done used to be awful I dreaded it you have to call doctors here do this do that now you have a fight um your manager messaged you a schedule someone in the UFC already took care of it you're going here for your blood here for this here for MRI done that's one of the biggest things I noticed obviously the pay is night and day um and just the small things they do to take care of you the supplementation you know these guys are sending you hundreds of dollars withth the supplements every month take advantage of it order if you come down to the pi I live here in Vegas I'm at the pi every day um you know they take care of your food your nutrition your strength and condition iing your your physical therapy just the way they take care of the fighters and the amenities they give you that that's the biggest difference and how is the performance center it's great I love it man like I said I'm here right now we're in the C just snagging some food uh I I usually train once or twice in the morning before I then train again at night so I'll spend a few hours here every day I come in I get my lunch they take care of that for you go in the HUD tub get some PT done get some strength conditioning done and then you're off you know so I love it man it's a great resource for fighers and anyone that's not using it should definitely utilize it more and how is the variety of the food in the in the center what what your go to meal I'm always a chicken rice and some french fries type of guy you know grilled chicken some white jasine rice and some french fries you know but man they got everything every day they have a fruit bar a salad bar they always have like something less healthier like pizza or like czone like style but um but every day they have their Grilled Chicken Fried Chicken they got veggies they got Steak Burgers so on top of the three to four items they have every day they're mixing in specials so nothing's ever the same it's you know you can get the same if you want but there's still variety every day and what was your reaction when you did find out you had that contract with the UFC yes it was five days notice but what was the reaction dude it's it's like being a little kid when you know you're asking your parents or a toy a game or something and then they're like no no no no no and then you finally get it you're like yes dude I was so happy H you know my eyes wired up it's something we train for dude so you know of course I'm gonna get emotional and you know the first fight didn't turn it the way I wanted to uh and anyone's got poot or [ __ ] to say about it um you go fight Terence M Kenny on 4 noce have a BL um and you know you can say whatever you want but I'm the one sitting here with a four five know full contract um it was one of the greatest days of my life man and I'm just happy that you know I got the call and I get a full contract where I can prove my work in the company and return the favor you know you guys called me and made my dreams come true I can't wait to go to war and start clipping dudes and break in their face to bring more eyes to the sport do my job I'm like saying a lot of people did talk smack about to you after that defeat now people like P piml they have brought people that was talking smack about them into the cage for some sparring just while they are trading have you ever had anyone talk smack about you enough that you're were wanting to send that invite to them oh my God you want to honest to God you want to but you have a tote align mentally where I'm like like I just said hey I'm in the UFC um I have the contract you don't and you know I some guys have messaged some heinous stuff where you know I won't give them the time of day but I'll respond with hey yo thanks man I appreciate that but your job is to pay for the pay-per-view sit on your couch and watch all right do your job you just watch because honestly if you look at half the messages these guys send you click on their profile they've never been in a fight in their life the only thing they're fighting is diabetes and to get off their couch in between you know in between fights like that's it bro so n R but if one ever wants to be like hey man I and I talk this [ __ ] and I will smash you all right sign a waiver come to the gym I'm blast and do you watch the O other events that happen on the weekly basis as well of course yeah uh fighting is above anything I've said it before I respect the martial arts the athletic side of things the athlete side of things I'm a fighter first above all so any chance I get to watch fights if UFC's on I'm watching a number one a bare Knuckles on I'm watching it if there a good boxing match I'm watching it anything to do with fighting I'm there 100% I love it I love it and besides the UFC what Regional SCH in either States or in here in Europe do you prefer to watch like what's your go-to regionals show uh go-to regionals man is always um combat zone in New England in New Hampshire that's that's the promotion I grew up on and now they get a great live stream they've had some of their events UFC Fight Pass they're really growing it's owned by Calvin Kar the UFC featherweight so uh he always puts together good cards with his Matchmaker Jerome Brasher is like it's just something different being in the him being in the UFC like they put together fights people want to watch but other than that I'll always watch LFA cffc I'm not missing a game red show I love that the bare knuckle anything bare knuckle I'm so yeah regionally I'm definitely watching LFA cffc combat you know these are guys that are breaking this fider there they're going to break in UFC soon and I might see you one day so I like watching everyone and like you're saying you never miss a bare Knuckle Event do you feel like after your UFC stint is over we could see you transition into that sport oh man if the money's right 100% I I grew up in a small town man where um you know everyone it was a small town where if you you talk [ __ ] you got hit as cliches at Downs uh I've been in so many bare knuckle fist fights probably like 12 12 15 of them just growing up so it hurts man let me tell you it stings it hurts you always every shot feels like you're a little kid and you hit your head off the table you're like ah son of a [ __ ] but uh yeah after my career is over man I I plan on making a big name for myself in the UFC and I'm gonna get it done but as we've seen these guys that are champions that have made big names after their career done if you wave you know you wave some figures in a Fighter's face to fight bare knuckle we're not going to say no and is that what got you into the cage as you were just in those street fights so he just transition from street fights to in the cage and getting paid for it yeah kind of you know I I always you know growing up I got into a couple fights in middle school and then a ton in high school and I was like oh this is actually fun and you know you as you fight your parents are telling like oh your grandfather was a golden guy this I had two boxes in the family a generation and two generations before me so I was like all right and I jumped down into um a boxing gym April downtown boxing it's where my family grew up was a great coach down there Ray eir and he's been in boxing since before I was [ __ ] born so it just started from there I started boxing and then that's when UFC was blowing up like crazy and I I started watching UFC I'm like this is more what I want I want to be a little bit more free you know I I don't want to just strike I want to throw with my hands I want to throw feet I want to throw elbows and that's where it started so yeah I would say man so would just street fights the boxing to MMA and I haven't looked back since so is that you moved from New England over to Vegas or you just here for the camp no I i' I've moved here I've moved here I've been here for five months now and how was how much do you value that New England Central team um how much I value New England yeah like the the team that you're with the new oh yeah yeah no I love those guys um my team that brought me up there um I even though I've moved and I'm where I know I belong you can't forget your roots you can't forget who got brought you to the dance they all played an important part of my career even if they're not a part of it now they played a part to get me there um I know I don't underlook down look anyone that's ever helped me and not just the fighting but my family my family's down there my friends down there I love love doing as much as I hate the cold and it's cold like everyone thinks we get like four five six months of Summer no we get like three months of warm the rest is cold it sucks but I love New England uh when my fighting Days Are Over You might see me back there I don't know but I hold the deer in my heart and I hold the people that have helped me to get where I am in my heart and I thank them because I understand that you know a man goes into the cage alone but it take it took a village to rage that boy into the man so I love it and what is and let you have the final word what is there anything you want to say let me introd you this guy right here you'll be interviewing this guy soon 100% this is my my boy Arthur minov we are having the hardest time finding this animal fight he's 20 years old two and 0 from Ukraine and I think everyone in the world is ducking this guy they're quacking but I just want to introduce you he is Arthur minov and I can promise you you'll be interviewing this guy soon this guy is an absolute animal he's that next Generation trust me we beat ISAC we beat 100% he's been my main Sparr partner this whole camp and uh you know Isaac's a wrestler but I have a beast Ukrainian wrestler that would honestly wrestle his melt on Isaac's forehead if he Tred through so he was walking by I just had to get that introduction because he's been a huge part of my camp and uh you'll be interviewing him soon guaranteed well I would love to interview him at what next next time he has a fight and anyone else you're wanting to shout out not man just any my coaches um my friends my family I I I I ride with my faith extremely hard our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ our Heavenly Father God above anything without uh Jesus I wouldn't be here I wouldn't have the faith I wouldn't have the strength I have I wouldn't have the personal belief I have so I don't care who you are uh you know you could be the richest man in the world I don't care who you are how much power you have I will always Proclaim Jesus as my number one so no man just anyone that's gotten me here my coaches John Wood um my train Partners AR Min Cody steel um Don paa he's been a huge huge part of my um striking you know so anyone that's here I love you and I appreciate the help you've given me during this camp and I'm excited to plan a go well thank you very much for coming on and I wish you the best of luck for your upcoming fight awesome I appreciate you things to have me on God bless