Brendan Loughnane considers Bubba Jenkins a friend – up to a point.
That point is a fight and with the two featherweights scheduled to meet at 2022 PFL Championships, that friendship has been put on hold. While they still remained largely respectful at a virtual pre-fight news conference held Tuesday, each man presented some brutally honest assessments of the other’s game.
“I’m going to speak some truth here,” Loughnane said. “Bubba’s not going to like this, but Bubba quit against Chris Wade. He did quit in that fight. He ended up on his back. I seen the quit in him. It’s not just one fight, because I’ve done my research. I’ve seen him quit a few times.”
Jenkins responded and tacked up the lack of oomph in the Wade fight to “absolute death of fatigue,” rather than mental breakage. Loughnane added he’s felt like he’s drowning in the cage before, but never let it get to him the way he thinks Jenkins did.
“I’ve never even been close to quitting in a fight,” Loughnane said. “I’ve felt that deep-water feeling before and I’m like, ‘F*ck.’ I embraced it. I run toward the fire. I was hoping there was another two rounds against Chris Wade. I was enjoying beating his ass.”
While he stood by his criticism, Loughnane doesn’t view the situation as black or white. Jenkins isn’t one to shy away from tough matchups and usually brings it, he explained.
“He has fought good guys,” Loughnane said. “I’ve watched his previous fights. Bubba is not a guy that shirks away from hard fights. I was there when he went and fought Ali Bagov and gave up all that weight. The guy is a proper warrior. I have to give him that. But I did see the quit in the Wade fight. And he knows it.”
For Loughnane, his Nov. 25 fight with a title and $1 million on the line marks the second year straight he’s had the opportunity. In 2021, he came up short when he lost to Movlid Khaybulaev via split decision. Loughnane doesn’t want to relive that moment with another defeat.
“I did feel Movlid beat me quite comfortably,” Loughnane said. “We all seen what I did to Chris Wade. That’s what exactly would’ve happened in the finals if I would’ve got there last year. Movlid was my boogeyman last year. But yeah, this year, (I had) two tough fights initially. I had some issues going in but then I had a healthy Chris Wade camp. A healthy Brendan is a very f*cking dangerous Brendan, as we’ve seen in London. Just continuing from that camp, I’m in a great vibe. I’ve got loads of good training partners around me. I’m in the best place in my life mentally, physically, spiritually. I’m ready to just take this belt, man.”
