LIVE! Bellator 254 Virtual Media Day Q&A

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

Bellator 254: “Macfarlane vs. Velasquez” takes place later this week (Thurs., Dec. 10, 2020) at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Undefeated women’s Flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-0) takes on rising star Juliana Velasquez (10-0) in the main event of the evening.

Several select fighters are scheduled to participate in what the promotion is calling a “Virtual Media Day” this afternoon (Tues., Dec. 8, 2020), starting at 1:30 p.m. ET. Expected participants include:

Cody Law (1:30 p.m.) – Bellator Featherweight
Juliana Velasquez (1:45 p.m.) – Bellator Flyweight
Matheus Mattos (2:00 p.m.) – Bellator Bantamweight
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (2:15 p.m.) – Bellator Flyweight
Goiti Yamauchi (2:30 p.m.) – Bellator Lightweight
Nate Andrews (2:45 p.m.) – Bellator Lightweight
Magomed Magomedov (3:00 p.m.) – Bellator Bantamweight
Linton Vassell (3:15 p.m.) – Bellator Heavyweight
Ronny Markes (3:30 p.m.) – Bellator Heavyweight
Davion Franklin (3:45 p.m.) – Bellator Heavyweight

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

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Cody Law: “I don’t know that I was necessarily prepared for it, but I visualize a lot and see things playing out in my head. I guess I prepared for it mentally but I’m just rolling with how things go. I think (Kenny Champion) is a good match up for me. It’s a step up in competition but it’s an easier fight for me. Maybe he’ll come forward. He should stand in front of me a little bit more.”

Law: “I train every day. I live inside American Top Team so I train every day.”

Law: “It’s been good. I have a pretty good system down where I spend three months at ATT then go home to Pennsylvania to see my family for a week and a half. I get that out of my system and I get back to the gym and I’m super focused.”

Law: “It’s a dream come true. I’m surrounded by people like me. Just being around them, having guys like Mike Brown watching my sparring sessions, how can I not grow as a fighter?”

Juliana Velasquez: “It’s been a horrible year for everyone but I look forward to finishing it with a big win.”

Velasquez: “At the end of the day the fight starts standing up so if I get the opportunity to knock her out I’ll knock her out. I’ll go for the submission if we’re on the ground but if we’re standing I’ll look to knock her out.”

Velasquez: “I don’t think this one year (layoff) makes too big of a difference for me. The training never stops. Training with flyweight and bantamweight men, being that I train a lot with men ends up being more difficult than the fight itself.”

Velasquez: “I have a lot of respect for (Ilima-Lei) as I’ve had respect for every one of my opponents in here. It doesn’t matter how popular she is. I’m here to do a job and I’m here to finish this fight off and take the belt home with me.”

Velasquez: “This is a difficult fight for both of us. We both bring challenges to the other that neither of us have ever seen before. I’m not too sure where this fight will be won but in my mind this fight won’t be lost. I’m prepared to take the fight anywhere. Like I said I do like to strike and if I get the opportunity to knock her out I’ll knock her out, if I can submit her I’ll submit her, and if I have to go the distance I’ll do that too.”

Velasquez: “I was supposed to fight the champ last December and it’s frustrating at times but my job is to fight who they put in front of me and that’s what I did. Due to the pandemic everything stalled out and that was frustrating but I’ve put that behind me and now I’m here to win the title.”

Velasquez: “I don’t really mind. I wouldn’t have minded fighting her in Hawaii in her home, that wouldn’t have put any pressure on me. Fighting in Connecticut is a much shorter flight. Other than that it doesn’t make a difference. It doesn’t change anything for me.”

Velasquez: “After being a champ I’ll definitely smile a lot more, that’s for sure. I don’t really pay attention to the rankings. I’ve never even looked it up. It doesn’t even bother me. Very few fighters have the record I do and that’s what’s important.”

Velasquez: “Most of my training is done with men and yes it can be very difficult. Some days I just want to leave practice crying. As much as they beat up on me they still treat me like their princess and I’m well trained for this fight.”

Velasquez: “I believe this fight is going to come down to who wants it more. In my mind I don’t see anybody who wants this championship more than myself.”

Matheus Mattos: “

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