https://youtube.com/watch?v=oM6f_Y7CKa8
As a late replacement in Dana White’s Contender Series, Jamal Pogues seizes a UFC contract in his second chance performance …
foreign [Music] my name is Jamal Pogues I find the light heavyweight division originally from Victorville California it’s been a long time it’s great to be back mama my mom she has one of the biggest hearts I feel like in life she always got the bad end of the stick and people mistreated her I watched my mom every single day even though I knew she was hurt she’ll look at me and she just kept pouring love into me in your season three years ago did your season did your birth all the sweat and tears all the time away You’re Gonna Win son so you go out there and you fight I’ll call you tonight all right love you too Mom that’s my weakness as May that lady Beville up my first time on Contender series was August 17th of 2019. [Music] I felt like I gave a great performance overall showed my game when it came to stand up to my wrestling honestly that day I don’t think anybody they put in the cage with me would a one that night [Music] and I feel like that’s one of my best performances I had that night for your winner by unanimous decision Jamal popes I won my fight I just didn’t get the contract that time now it’s time to get them out of contract done all right Jamal when you look at this guy he has all the tools he has everything it takes to be good and make it to the UFC he needs more time I like this kid a lot just not tonight you know a lot of people were mad that I didn’t get the contract but for me personally I felt like it was still a lot of things I needed to grow on and it’s been a three-year journey to be back here but can’t wait [Music] coming back to continue Series this time it’s a lot of excitement you know just to be back so I just want to go out there and put on the show as always [Music] like from last time it’s just this I have a lot more confidence in myself and obviously the skills have grown and I think you’re just going to see a lot more maturity definitely gonna be thinking more when I’m out there competing instead of trying to force things and make things happen I’m gonna let the fight come to me my coaches are coach wolf from Syndicate MMA and then you have my conditioning and slash Jiu Jitsu partner Brian Hamilton we put a lot of preparation in for this fight so I want these guys in my corner Jamal popes got a win in his last fight here in the Apex but it wasn’t enough to earn a contract right before you walk out for the fight you know you’re thinking of your training camp you think about everything that you sacrifice you think about the people that you’ve met along the way and you realize that you know you’re fighting for a bigger purpose and you got people watching and people believe in you there’s just so many emotions when you’re sitting in the back and you just got to sit there and just focus and just focus on the win I’m ready walking through those doors is just something where you know that you work your ass off for and you’re here and you get to show the world pokes he has really gone through a true metamorphosis and a change from the last time that we saw him you know walking into the arcades the first thing I thought was I’m about to this dude up that was the first thing that was on my mind when you have so much built up you just want to go out there and compete and you want to let everything out you want to just release everything and I just want to fight round one I’m just warming up I haven’t been in the fight game in almost two years so it’s just me getting back out there flowing again and letting the fight come to me and enjoying myself nice pancake my pose first round he did his overhand left if I’m not a singer and you can tell that was one of his best shots like I kind of blocked it and I didn’t phase I like the fight so you got to give me a little bit more than that first time I was on Contender series they said I should have used more stand up because all I did was wrestle and grapple this guy and I kept doing takedowns so this time I didn’t want to give anyone an excuse once that first round went the jab just kept working and kept working I just see it just keep Landing down the pipe and I was like oh yeah it’s gonna be a fun night what the hell one is I’m feeling great you know go to my corner coach wood is talking to me he tells me the head kick is open because he keep leaning to my right leg go long one to set up the high kick it’s there he’s having a head out left arm yeah sure yep Fango faint pull and go okay light on those toes don’t get too cocky and start pulling out keep everything I say we got to respect double check and he’s telling me that these punches are hurting like [Music] round two begins I get right back on the jab because that’s what’s working in the first round [Music] these were definitely effective in the second round inside electric outside leg kick every time I throw a punch or I combo this dude is waiting to finish off with a leg kick I end up going for a double A and I just wanted to see his reaction kind of sprawled back a little bit a little bit too fast and I knew that he worked a lot of ground game and a lot of wrestling to stop it so I just went right back you know to my stand-up again I just want to see more number second round is probably a little bit tough because that guy who was definitely playing a chess match into the second round my leg is killing me but I’m not telling anybody that coach wood just tells me started throwing more combos start checking more kicks okay so you back him up keep that pressure start finding those combinations now let’s get Dynamic that head Kick’s there too bud I feel great I’m ready but let’s just keep going last round here we go [Music] going into the third round I knew it was one and one and I had to step it up he definitely still kept in a few leg kicks and it definitely bothered me intended to work on my jab and come off for the jab and you started seeing me throw more punches you start seeing me for kicks the body I’ll start to see that he gets tired [Applause] and I just saw his reaction his body kind of gets a little tired right now I’m just keeping the pressure until the end of the round because I know he’s fading and he’s not gonna he’s not gonna come back this time in the last 10 seconds of the third round I was just ready to throw and go this guy definitely was ready to fight as well he gave me a hard 10 seconds towards the end and when the round ended I was just just more happy with myself and coming back when the fight ends I definitely knew that I did enough to win this fight just didn’t know if I had enough and you know to get the contract for the UFC ladies and gentlemen and go to the judge’s scorecards sport decision the judges scored the contest 30-27-29-28 and 29-28 for the winner by unanimous decision [Music] announcing I was a winner is a great feeling I think fighting is a little bit more personal to me so it’s just a journey back here and I was just so happy to get the win I love you in Victorville California it’s for you guys coming from Victorville it’s not a lot of hope you watch a lot of dreams die in that City that’s why I just want to give hope to my city you know I left a lot of Legacy in that City and you know owe a lot to my mom because you know I put her through a lot of stuff and then she sacrificed before me to be here in this position man that’s all I want to do is just you know make my family proud make my mom proud make myself proud make my city proud it’s one of them things when you finally do it it’s a great feeling an excellent win just talk to me about what you’re thinking right now it’s been a long ass two years I went through a lot happy to be back I’m very emotional after the win you know just so much build up to that point you know life throwing you curveballs to just persevere and hold on to something like hold on to a dream of just fighting in the UFC it was just so much emotion and built up that’s why I just had to let it out I want to thank my mom she’s battling stage three cancer she’s at home right now she’s watching this on TV I want you to know huh and baby boys all right um thank you John Wood right Syndicate MMA thank you guys for bringing me back those are my boys man I know that they are so proud of you in this moment Jamal they’re so proud of you I take custody of my two cousins two years ago at first it wasn’t like they were supposed to stay the whole time it was more like the mom wanted to braid she was like hey I just got to get myself together I feel like I’m stressed in life so I just said okay cool and eventually they started telling me more about how my home life was they started telling me how like the things that happened to them eventually I told him like Hey you’re not getting your kids back because they told me everything from that point on you know just been with me slept the last two years and it’s raising them because you kind of seeing some of the stuff you used to do as a kid and you start to see their mistakes and you know you just want them to be better but also I realized wanting them to be better I had to be better myself I got to show them how to be a man in this world and I have to step into that father role position and I feel like that’s my job yeah Dana has some interesting decisions to make tonight what are your thoughts I think that Jamal could have been busier I think he could have let his hands go he came here the first time he’s bought here before won his fight didn’t get picked took this fight on short notice which I respect very much and I obviously appreciate I’m going to give him the opportunity to train get a proper Camp come in here and fight somebody and uh do it the right way here in Dana say I got the UFC contract I said about damn time I’ve been training since I was 13 I’m 26 now so it’s been 13 years that I’ve been training sometimes it felt like it was never going to happen from the injuries to the trainees to the traveling you know just felt like it was worth it no money can buy that uh that moment in the world because that’s something that I did for myself so Jamal Dan was just saying don’t make him cry you almost made me cry I was getting so caught up in whether Dana was going to pick you or not that I didn’t say your name and I still apologize but Jamal Pogues well welcome to the UFC I said UFC contract changed my life because it gives me it gives me more opportunities being a wife man uh I understand what you just said so you know I’m gonna take my chubby stuff down back to 205 I’m gonna give you a full Camp I’ll finish the next dude I took this fight on four and a half weeks notice in a different weight class I’m heavier than I’m usually am and you know it’s just time to go no excuses let’s just get the results I know you said you saw that you have always wanted to tell your mom your son is a UFC fighter you want to say it now hey Mom if you’re at home I know you’re watching it the boys in the UFC it’s been a long time coming we Face some adversity together to my dad this last name holds is going to mean some one day Jamal welcome to the UFC thank you so much absolutely me and Deontay Wilder right after the fight after getting the contract we talked you know he talked me for about 20 minutes he told me just remember like you’re a fighter you’re your own business so make sure you do everything right don’t don’t make mistakes anything you do from now on to the end of your career don’t get caught up in the hype just don’t forget what got me here and then you know we gave a prayer at the end you know we just prayed that I stay focused I stay healthy and I continue to do all the right things you know become successful in the sport I’m a big fan of Deontay Wilder so to see him and for him to give me a compliment you know it’s just an icing on the cake for me I’m a big fandom so to me that was just you couldn’t make my night any better after that foreign [Music] just go to practice come back home work all he did practice every single day just that’s all you don’t use on his grind every single day and then now we got that he just got back and now now I get the brag about my cousin that’s in the UFC that’s what I’m talking about in the house [Music] now I got something to look forward to you know just finally yeah like now so it’s it’s been a long time coming son I’m very very proud of you you took your time you kept that left jab in his face and that’s what did it you know he couldn’t until he couldn’t get in originally I’m born in Los Angeles California I moved to Victorville when I was like 11 or 12. I feel like that’s where a lot of my life experiences came from first heartbreak to first fight to first gym I started training in first wrestling tournament I just feel like Victorville raised me and that’s why I feel like I learned a lot of my my hard experiences in life I think the hardest part like this whole Camp was uh not being there you know what I mean so it was just more like damn like I got to train for this fight so I really couldn’t like you know just like leave get up and just leave you know that’s why I told you don’t worry about me I’m fine they got it all so now I just have to do chemo you’re gonna be the next UFC light heavyweight champion already it’s already in existence I already put that in stone I feel like my mom couldn’t really do everything for herself and I feel like that she put everything into me and to see me here with the UFC contract just means like you know baby I can do it for me but I’m gonna make sure you accomplish everything in life and that you be great and in return I got to give that back I got to give that same love and give that same happiness back because you know she’s a big part of this journey as well I had so many emotions because I know how long it took him to get to where he was I just gave him her all that I know what to give him so I’m um [Music] I can Pat myself on the back because I know I did a good job with him it’s been a wonderful Journey it’s been exciting it’s been it’s up it’s been us down but uh do it all he made it I think now just coming back here just seeing your mama seeing my mom you know I wanna you know I still want to see you know everybody back at home you know like Cobra Kai you know start seeing my little teammate just you know give him love and then go back to Vegas and do what you need to do and just get back to work [Music] I train out of Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas Nevada when you move to Vegas there’s only two dreams they talk about they talk about extreme they talk about Syndicate when I finally got my own spot just wanted to get back into training showed up at Syndicate one day I literally signed up I didn’t do the trial I signed up because I was gonna force myself to get back into MMA keep going keep going keep going after the first practice I loved it it was a good energy the coaches were cool you know I didn’t get any bad feeling about the gym and I just stayed ever since I did we’re gonna start working through the hook to the body then we’ll finish on the cross of the body vice versa start with the cross body finish on the hook to the body the reason why I like about John is like John lets you grow as a fighter and he’s not gonna limit you to you know maybe his style or what should happen it’s like he adjusts when you get an athlete like Jamal comes in the door you know it’s kind of a gift somebody who is already has all of the tools no he’s got great Jiu Jitsu wrestling striking Athletics you know his athletic ability is off his Hearts he’s work ethic he’s in here grinding every day you know after 10 hours 12 hours of work so when you hand me something like that you know that’s that’s a gift as a coach now what I’m saying kick low it doesn’t mean just go kick low it means do the same thing push him off and then kick on the end okay so like you figured it out there at the end lean take the leg I feel like we just clicked right off the back because we both have the same you know the same mentality I just want to be great and he wants to help grow great Fighters everyone [Music] a year and a half almost two years I am a floor host [Music] no let me tell you what happened last night so this dude will come in and this dude will look at me he gonna say he said damn you big and I was like that’s like the first thing you said and I was like so what’s up I was like you coming inside sir he was like what they look like in there I said well they don’t look like me uh worked from 7 P.M to 3 A.M you know a lot of people think of the strip club as oh he’s working the strip club it’s not what it’s cracked up to be definitely pays the bills that’s what it is you know it’s just a job I’m at the club I’m watching the next song week on Contender series and my name pops up on the bottom of the screen it says Jamal pokes is fighting December 17th so do all the training do everything and finally got the UFC contract it’s crazy we hear that like thank you so damn man I feel like a proud daddy find this a lot bigger than than just one person itself and the Victory and the fame it’s a lot to go on behind the scenes to get us there and it’s a lot of people who sacrifice Henry’s the manager when I first got there he’s the one that had to show me the ropes when you meet someone like Emery who doesn’t know anything about you and he brings you in like family it just means so much because you know he was a big part of the reason why I came back it just means so much to sign that contract with him for me I’m nervous for him you know I mean I want you want him I want the best for him you know I want him to be prepared so I can’t I can’t wait till December I’ll be there next to the side to support him either in you know next to him at the ring or even here or at home at home uh whatever he needs I’ll be in this corner UFC and me going to KFC I’ll be right there [Music] today we’re going to be talking to Wes it’s my co-worker that’s like a big brother to me he’ll just say those you know those things that you need to hear or even if you need to vent he’ll just be there to listen that’s just an easy guy to talk to what’s been going on you know obviously we’re doing my mom and they’re cancer treatment you know that was hitting her heart so then end of October my mom was telling me he found a lump on my dad’s neck and I kind of felt selfish in a way because like I’m all the way out here in Vegas you know training trying to pursue my stuff and both of their health health are declining in a way my parents are older so you always got to deal with health problems but you know everything’s looking good finding out that my dad’s lumps and snake wasn’t cancerous was was a good thing he was definitely stressed out find out it’s not cancerous but also seeing my you know seeing him slow down it was just time for me like to kind of pull back a little bit and just like hey let me focus on my family for a bit let me get my things under control you know but that was one of the biggest things I want to be there for my family for like you know for the rest of the year so like I know I feel good you know for whatever’s to come from the hardships to the triumphs you know I don’t know anybody who’s going through what you’ve gone through in this short amount of time and to be thriving right now I’m not to say that the family difficulties aren’t hard you know you seem to be on such a high right now and they come from the lows where you’re at where you know homelessness and all of those things to this it’s beautiful to see man when I first moved out here people didn’t even know like half the time I was homeless eventually uh it came out Wesley was a huge part of helping me get back on my feet definitely tough time and you know he was one of the guys that looked out for me the most how’s your mom doing now she’s she’s gonna be good probably by like March you know March she should probably be done with this whole chemo thing my mom has chemo the day before my fight so she would not be able to make it but I know she’ll be watching at home and then right after I’m just gonna head home and go see her so February 18th you ready like I feel healthy I feel strong nothing scares me no more you know what I mean he said I got to the point where I faced I like hit every single I don’t know thing I was ever scared of in my life right and it happened you know and then I feel like I just ran out of excuses I ran out of fear like everything that I was scared of happened okay I prayed hard but it’s again life’s finally looking up so which is a blessing people UFC now you know I finally have something to look forward to you know like my hard work is finally paying off I’ll be fighting February 18th at the Apex in Las Vegas Nevada now making the change to go up to heavyweight it’s definitely a tough fight for my debut but it’s something to get you motivated to get your ass up in the morning train the COC debut has been a long time coming it’s been a dream come true I just want to show the world what I can do [Music]