LIVE! Bellator 249 Virtual Media Day Q&A Updates

Cris Cyborg | Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

Fighters are scheduled to start chatting today at 1:30 p.m. ET from inside Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Bellator 249: “Cyborg vs. Blencowe” takes place this week (Thurs., Oct. 15, 2020) at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Women’s Featherweight champion Cris Cyborg (22-2, 1 NC) puts her title up on the line against “Angerfist” Arlene Blencowe (13-7), winner of three straight fights.

The fighters are scheduled to participate in what the promotion is calling a “Virtual Media Day” this afternoon (Tues., Oct. 13, 2020), starting at 1:30 p.m. ET. Expected participants include:

Cris Cyborg (1:30 p.m.) – Bellator Featherweight
Ricky Bandejas (1:45 p.m.) – Bellator Bantamweight
Saad Awad (2:00 p.m.) – Bellator Lightweight
Patricky Freire (2:15 p.m.) – Bellator Lightweight
Leandro Higo (2:30 p.m.) – Bellator Bantamweight
Mandel Nallo (2:45 p.m.) – Bellator Lightweight
Jaleel Willis (3:00 p.m.) – Bellator Lightweight
Arlene Blencowe (3:15 p.m.) – Bellator Featherweight
Christian Edwards (3:30 p.m.) – Bellator Light Heavyweight

Selected news and memorable quotes from the participants will be available below.

---

Cris Cyborg: “I’m never content. I always think this way, this way motivate me every time, every morning when I wake up. I’ll be prepared the day of the fight.”

Cyborg: “The one thing that makes me happy is the real 145 pound (division). I always believe in the 145 pound division. Scott Coker signs all the 145 pound women and it’s going to make for a great division, great fights.”

Cyborg: “I’d (like to) have a dream fight in Japan, I’ve never had the opportunity to fight in Japan, for me if I had the opportunity make the best fight a promoter can do. It doesn’t matter where it’s at.”

Cyborg: “For me I feel very blessed to be where I’m at but it’s hard work. It just motivates me to keep improving my game. For now I’m focusing on Arlene Blencowe but everybody knows my dream is to have one boxing fight.”

Cyborg: “I think Julia did great in her last fight, and Cat Zingano I’m happy that she’s coming back and fighting and she’d be a great opponent for Julia Budd.”

Cyborg: “I never choose my opponents, I always like to try to be ready for everyone. All my career I never chose my opponents. I always be ready and say yes.”

Cyborg: “Scott Coker respects me, it’s a healthy relationship, it’s very nice. I worked with him before in Strikeforce, and when I saw him in Bellator it was like ‘welcome home.’ People can see every day how happy I am and how motivated I am to do every fight here.”

Cyborg: “I know (some of) my fights finish early, but I always prepare for five rounds. When I start training, I’m getting better each round, better and better. I respect all my opponents. The girls are getting better and you can see a lot of young kids training mixed martial arts. Yes this is very cool and they’re just going to get better.”

Cyborg: “You know I really love my job. When you love your job you dedicate more. I wake up every morning happy and I do my training every day. I want to train more than my opponents. This motivates me. If you continue to be disciplined in training and believe in yourself (the outcome is good). You just have to work hard.”

Ricky Bandejas: “I’m hoping Thursday we get the win and come full circle and redeem all the losses. I think (135) is stacked man. I can’t wait to mix it up with all of them.”

Bandejas: “Higo is more of a veteran, he’s had a lot of fights, he’s been in there with the best. I expect to go out there and fight hard.”

Bandejas: “(Gallagher) did good. A fight people questioned him on, and he went out there and finished his opponent. Good for him.”

Bandejas: “Brett Johns, Raufeon Stots, Josh Hill, guys with good records that haven’t lost much. You’ve got to put them right at the top (of this division).”

Bandejas: “I don’t put much thought into him (overlooking me). If he is that’s his mistake. We’ll see on Thursday.”

Bandejas: “I didn’t think (an empty arena) was going to be an issue, but you have to dig deep because you don’t have the crowd to pump you up. This fight I plan on understanding that. He might just show up and be a gamer. A lot of fighters don’t seem to have a problem with it, so that’s on him.”

Bandejas: “American Top Team, they have a good system running, they’re allowing the fighters to get in there and mix it up.”

Bandejas: “I think Brett Johns can do real well. I think he’s going to mix up well with everybody.”

Bandejas: “If that’s what (Gallagher) wants, a rematch, I have no problem doing it.”

Bandejas: “(Higo) looks like he’s calm when he fights, and he’s good anywhere, on the feet or on the ground. You just can’t make a mistake with him.”

Saad Awad: “

---

To check out the latest Bellator MMA-related news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive news archive right here.