LAS VEGAS – Bubba Jenkins is enjoying the high stakes in his return to the cage.
The PFL featherweight competes Nov. 25, as he takes on Brendan Loughnane in the co-main event of the 2022 PFL Championships in New York. The winner will not only take the 2022 featherweight title but also the $1 million prize that comes with winning a season.
This could put plenty of pressure on any athlete, but for Jenkins (19-5), it’s the exact environment he enjoys the most.
“It’s naturally me,” Jenkins told MMA Junkie Radio. “I don’t have to force myself onto this role. … The way that I speak, the mindset that I have, my availability at every fight, my lasting ability to stay in the fight, it just brings me to a place of understanding that I’m not just one of the best fighters in the world, but mentally and in my own opinion, I’m the best 145 pounder in the world because of what I’ve been through and who I am and what I’m projected to go.
“So carrying a card like this, carrying this pay-per-view, being the co-main event, Madison Square Graden, a $1 million prize, that’s just who I am. This is me.”
Jenkins lost to Chris Wade in the semifinals of last year’s featherweight tournament. He’s determined to not commit the mistakes of the past and this time win the entire PFL season.
Training at Xtreme Couture, Jenkins is confident he has the team to get the job done.
“There’s a form of self-accountability, but even yourself being tired and being pulled so many different directions, you need a good team around you,” Jenkins said. “You have to have a good group of people around you. Not only do I have one of the best teams in mixed martial arts, I have Hall of Famers in my corner, people who have seen different camps and different champions.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for the 2022 PFL Championships.
Bubba Jenkins thriving under pressure of 2022 PFL final: ‘It’s naturally me’
