UFC 273 is almost here, and as usual, Embedded is here as well. The show that gives you an inside look at the marquee contestants on PPVs has issued the fourth episode for this weekend’s big show in Jacksonville, and it serves as a brief introduction to the fighters at the top of the card.
We start off at Sanford MMA for Gilbert Burns’ last session before he heads to Jacksonville. He loves his team and his gym. Henri Hooft doesn’t think it’s a high-risk fight for Durinho, even though he respects Khamzat Chimaev’s skills.
Over to JFK airport with AlJo. He’s ready to go. And then….he is there. Al Iaquinta is with him, of course (hi Al!).
Down to the fighter hotel, where Chimaev is cutting weight while his hype man Darren Till talks him up. His coach talks about Chimaev converting his personality from being outgoing and happy to being a tiger on fight week.
For some reason I can’t fathom despite his coach explaining it, Chan Sung Jung is training to the sweet sounds of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” In April. Yeah.
Back to Chimaev. His coach talks about his potential both as an athlete and as a drawing card. Chimaev greets fellow UFC 273 fighter Mackenzie Dern. Chimaev does some media and calmly says here to take his money and kill everybody. Stone Cold. Petr Yan and his team run into Khamzat and his team in the lobby and they greet each other warmly. Chimaev jokingly goes for a takedown and says “he is ready!”
Yan steps up to do media. The rematch is a long time in the making. The Sterling beef isn’t personal to him, but getting his belt back is. Korean Zombie says that not many Asian men have been champion or even had the shot so if he could win, it would open a lot of doors for other Asian fighters. Zombie is seen going up to Alexander Volkanovski to shake his hand and have a laugh, as KZ does. He said there’s no animosity, but he thought “he was very small,” which is hilarious.
Volk comes through and greets Sterling and Burns on his way to the media room. He fancies himself as a regular guy, but he has to carry the swagger of a champion right now. He feels he did KZ a favor by giving him a shot at the belt, but it’s going to be his last shot.
And that’s it! UFC 273 goes down Saturday night in the home of the Jaguars.
About the author
