LANDON QUINONES FIGHT PREP
McGregor works with the lightweight, working on rear-hand uppercuts, singing his praises while calling Knight “a good, tough, religious fighter” while forecasting a war.
Quinones talks through the game plan with Owen Roddy, with the idea being to stay technical and stop Knight from coming forward aggressively. The plan is to work the body, work the legs, and be the more technical fighter throughout. The young Team McGregor man believes he has the advantage everywhere, rattling off a list of things he does well, suggesting he can be a threat in every position.
“Christmas came early because I’m gonna light that boy up like a tree, dawg,” he says, cleaning up his gear after practice.
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TUF HOUSE
Quinones explains to his teammates that he never knew his father, and that his mom has mental health issues, including having had to prevent her from suicide on different occasions. He says in a confessional interview that he was reckless as a kid, but identified with Nick Diaz when a friend showed him UFC clips, finding similarities between his temperament and that of Stockton’s favorite son.
His home video starts with him laying on the beach in Boca Raton, FL. The 27-year-old explains he was an angry kid, and he got addicted to competing after securing this first victory while still in high school. He visits with his mother, acknowledging they have a challenging relationship.
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Quinones trains at Wolf Pack MMA under Coach Roger Krahl, having worked with myriad UFC competitors, but not Chandler. He’s 7-1-1 as a professional, winning and successfully defending the Titan FC lightweight title in his last two fights prior to entering the house.
“All I’ve ever needed in my life is an opportunity,” he says. “I have full confidence I’m gonna win this show, and you don’t always have an opportunity like this.
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“What a story it would be to come from where I come from and come out on top, man. It’s a blessing, and I’m just so excited to be here.”
