On Friday November 3, Bellator will roll into the Bryce Jordan Center, on the campus of Penn State University for Bellator 186. Headlining that card will be the promotions new light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader.
However, his opponent for that fight, “The Swarm” Linton Vassell, made a guest appearance on the Fight Strength Podcast this weekend to talk about his upcoming championship opportunity, and much more.
Hosted by American Top Team strength and conditioning coach Phil Daru, and MMASucka Senior Editor Jason Burgos, the Fight Strength Podcast is a weekly show focused on the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), its fighters, trainers, and the fitness techniques used to make MMA combatants some of the best athletes in the world.
Vassell fit the fighter bill on this episode as he talked about the advantages he feels he has over his next opponent, and why he appreciates this second opportunity at the Bellator 205 pound title more than his first attempt–a 2014 loss to Emmanuel Newton.
The hosts also found out what the fighters passions are away from the sport, what drives him to succeed despite never having aspirations to be a fighter, and the differences in the promotion from when former president Bjorn Rebney ran it, to the current regime headed by Scott Coker.
Along with the headling bout between Bader and Vassell, the card also features the inaugural women’s flyweight title bout between the undefeated Ilima-Lei McFarlane and Emily Ducote (a rematch of their fight from last year which McFarlane won by decision). And Penn State alums Phil Davis and Ed Ruth return to their collegiate wrestling stomping grounds for bouts of their own.
The show can be downloaded and heard on several streaming services including iTunes, iHeartRadio, YouTube, SoundCloud and Google Play Music.
You can follow Phil and Jason on social media at the following links:
Twitter: @DaruStrong & @CheapSeatsChat
Facebook: Phil Bam Bam Daru & Jason Burgos
Instagram: @DaruStrong & @JerichoVendetta
And the Fight Strength Podcast can be followed at the below links where you can send questions for Phil and future guests to answer:
Facebook: Fight Strength Podcast
Twitter: @FightStrength_
