UFC 302 is stuffed with loads of large fights, but the bout with probably the most warmth and unhealthy blood is flying underneath the radar.
On the preliminary card of Saturday’s occasion in Newark, N.J., Ailin Perez and Joselyne Edwards will lastly get to throw down after months of trash discuss on-line and a heated incident that left each with a bitter style. The meat between Perez (9-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Edwards (13-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) didn’t begin lengthy after the 2 first met.
Based on Edwards, a standard pal reached out to her to see if she might assist Perez get round Las Vegas, because it was her first time in within the metropolis following her UFC debut in September 2022.
“When he advised me his pal was Ailin Perez, I used to be like, ‘Hmm,” Edwards advised MMA Junkie in Spanish. “She’s in my division, and the woman is problematic. I hadn’t seen her debut, which I feel it was on brief discover, however I had seen issues on-line that the woman was problematic.
“Regardless, I mentioned, ‘OK, I’m going to be a great particular person. I’m properly mannered, and I’ve traveled the world and had difficulties and many individuals have guided me and helped me, so I mentioned, ‘OK, yeah. Give her my quantity.’”
Edwards didn’t like Perez an excessive amount of from what she noticed on social media however obliged to lend her a hand when she might, letting her know the way the UFC Efficiency Institute labored and even introducing her to her coaches at Xtreme Couture. Edwards admits she was a bit distant with Perez, however she was respectful and helped her with no matter she wanted. After Perez left Las Vegas, the 2 stored considerably stored in touch and texted one another.
‘She attacked me as a result of she’s jealous’
In April 2023, a couple of months after their preliminary assembly, Edwards fought and defeated Lucie Pudilova in a controversial cut up determination. She obtained loads of hate on-line, however nothing bothered her greater than studying Perez’s feedback.
“They confirmed me some messages she wrote publicly, and that’s her opinion, that’s OK,” Edwards mentioned. “Even after my final fights, she additionally commented and the best way she does it, it’s like she needs to make it humorous, however on the identical time you’re speaking sh*t. And that’s nice, that’s her opinion, however if you happen to see me, don’t even come say hello as a result of that’s being a hypocrite.”
Perez admits criticizing Edwards’ determination win however mentioned she was simply answering questions and did it in an analytical method. Regardless, that didn’t sit properly with Edwards, and their variations hit a boiling level a couple of months later in November after they noticed one another once more on the UFC Efficiency Institute in Las Vegas.
“I bumped into her on the PI, and he or she was like, ‘Hey, how are you? Come right here and say hello,’” Edwards mentioned as she recalled the moments earlier than the brawl broke out. “I don’t like that hypocrisy. I advised her, ‘Hey, simply win your combat since you discuss a number of sh*t. You have got a giant mouth.’
“She was like, ‘What are you speaking about?’ She didn’t bear in mind the issues she mentioned. I advised her, ‘You mentioned this and that,’ and he or she mentioned, ‘Properly, that’s my opinion.’ OK, that’s her opinion, however right here you are attempting to provide me a hug and say hello to me, fool.”
Edwards didn’t suppose the animosity between them would find yourself in a combat, and he or she was stunned to seek out herself buying and selling blows with Perez and her coach.
“I promise you my intention was to not combat her,” Edwards mentioned. “It was her coach who started to warmth issues up and insult me. So what occurred? She was like, ‘Properly, if you happen to’re so powerful, come say it to my face.’
“My intention wasn’t to hit her. I simply went to say it to her face, so after I get shut – we’re arguing – she makes a motion like she’s going to hit me, so I hit her. However she’s the one which made the primary transfer.”
Each ladies declare the opposite attacked first. Perez was left with a reduce on her cheek bone that required stitches and virtually jeopardized her combat with Pudilova, which was only a few days away.
“She attacked me on the UFC PI the place I used to be doing my combat week to combat towards Lucie (Pudilova) – which I take as a coward transfer to go and hit somebody who’s with their crew and their son,” Perez advised MMA Junkie in Spanish. “She didn’t have to be there. It’s my second, my house. She attacked me as a result of she’s jealous.”
‘He was choking me’
Each Edwards and Perez acknowledge Perez’ male coach received concerned quickly after the 2 began combating. Perez mentioned it was to cease Edwards from attacking her, and Edwards mentioned it was to gang up on her.
“He was choking me, and it wasn’t simply to carry me. He was hurting me and making an attempt to choke me out,” Edwards defined. “I fell ahead on prime of Ailin together with her coach on my again, and Alex Davis, coach of Amanda Ribas, he noticed the whole lot. … If two individuals are arguing, OK. However you as a coach, it’s a must to cut up issues up. She has a combat, however as an alternative he joined the combat. So he ended up on my again and wouldn’t let me go, so she (Ailin) received taken off me or ran out. I don’t bear in mind properly, and he or she went to safety.
“So anyway, Ailin wasn’t on the scene, and he was choking me saying, ‘B*tch, I’m going to place you to sleep. B*tch I’m going to place you to sleep.’ … Alex advised him to let me go, I used to be about to fall asleep, however he stored choking me, so Alex and I feel Amanda Ribas’ dad took him off me. I might barely breathe. He tried coming at me once more, however they stopped him.”
UFC decides to settle beef within the cage
Ailin Perez delivered her signature twerk after the ultimate #UFC302 faceoff with rival Joselyne Edwards. pic.twitter.com/eYCgEjAvVL
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) Could 31, 2024
Perez went on to combat and defeat Pudilova that weekend in considered one of her finest profession performances. The UFC was made conscious of the brawl however didn’t proceed with any disciplinary motion. As an alternative, only a few months later, Perez and Edwards obtained contracts to combat one another professionally.
“That is going to be my highest paid profession combat towards the best opponent, so I’m extraordinarily comfortable for that,” Perez mentioned.
“Now she’s going to get what she deserves. I’m coaching with a distinct function, which is to get revenge on her for injuring my eye. Both manner, I already beat her mentally. I gained that combat with an injured eye, and I felt like Maradona.”
Perez wasn’t the one one proud of the reserving. Edwards was delighted to listen to she had drawn Perez as her subsequent opponent.
“I by no means had her in thoughts, however after the incident I needed to combat her,” Edwards mentioned. “… I had requested for it in an interview, however I by no means mentioned something to the UFC. Then my supervisor known as me saying I received provided Ailin Perez and I mentioned, ‘You may even signal the contract. You recognize that’s a sure for certain.’ I feel UFC needed to place it collectively.”
The 2 haven’t crossed paths a lot all through combat week now that they’re combating this Saturday at UFC 302. The UFC, making an attempt to keep away from any incidents, assigned particular safety for each fighters and made certain their schedules didn’t cross paths.
The primary time Perez and Edwards received up shut since their heated brawl on the UFC PI was throughout Friday’s faceoffs on the UFC 302 ceremonial weigh-ins. And as anticipated, the stress was excessive.
In a sport the place might of the feuds are sometimes fabricated for promotion and gross sales, Perez and Edwards put that means behind the UFC’s “as actual because it will get” motto. It doesn’t matter what occurs Saturday, each Perez and Edwards have assured that their beef gained’t be squashed.
“No, she’s a prison,” Perez mentioned when requested if issues might be settled after UFC 302.
“On my finish, it’s additionally the identical,” Edwards mentioned. “I don’t plan on touching and even her after the combat. The one contact we’re going to have is the strikes she’s going to take in the course of the combat.”
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