STAY TUNED EP. 1

BOSTON — Union Grand Prix is back in action on May 30th at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts for a handful of exciting top ranked fights for UGP 26. The lineup is proof that a new generation of fighters are on their way to put their stamp on the MMA landscape.

The Middleweight Division is the main attraction for the night, as the Main and Co-Main Event bouts feature current and former champions vying to get back at the gold. WHile those fights will clear the air at the top of the 185 pound division, Viktor Volkov will be back in action in a Heavyweight Bout against the rising Red Rock prospect Billy Tweeds. And don't forget, the red hot former Evererst MMA Featherweight Champion Alistair McKay will be making his Union GP debut against fellow Real Killa Xabier Belazco.

Over the weekend, I got the opportunity to chat with the man who will be making the first walkout of the night, the former Everest MMA Welterweight Champion Lovelie Saint-Cyr; and the man making the final walkout of the night, Union GP Middleweight and Lightweight Champion Delaney Donovan. Enjoy the excerpts from our conversations below:

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ISAAC COHEN

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m thrilled to speak with one of the biggest prospects in mixed martial arts today ahead of his Union GP debut fight. He is the former inaugural Everest MMA Welterweight Champion, the one and only Lovelie Saint-Cyr. LSC, how are you doing, good sir?

LOVELIE SAINT-CYR

Big love, brudda. I’m doin’ just fine. You know? Ready to get back into that cage, ready to show out and do battle wit the best of em’. Lotta’ wheels be turnin’ around me at all times, know what it mean? Only fuckin’ wit the best!

ISAAC COHEN

Before we jump right into discussing your opponent later this month, let’s talk about you, and to be fair, your surprising move to the Cruiserweight Division. How's the weight management been going for you? Why the move to 225? I have to say, many were shocked to see that the former 170 pound champion will be debuting in the Cruiserweight division. What are you walking around at right now and is there a target weight you’re aiming at for this fight?

LOVELIE SAINT-CYR

I always been a thick 170, and me natural weight was always bigger. So really, you saw me when I was strugglin’ to keep that weight. It was hard not to get them gains, brudda - left me hungry for bigger things. And the Cruiserweight division? That’s where you’ll see me really shine, feelin’ as good as I ever did. Right now I’m sittin’ at about 227, went a lil overboard with the come up. But we be gettin’ that all settled n straight for fight time.

ISAAC COHEN

So your first opponent in Union GP will be against Reggie James, who has shown to be a very solid grappler and submission specialist through his two pro fights. You didn’t really deal with this kind of style while you were in Everest, what’s your initial thought on James and how do you plan on approaching and countering his style?

LOVELIE SAINT-CYR

Been workin’ the ground game hard, but you know you seen me in my fights, even on the ground I assert my dominance, and wit Reggie? Well they might be some problems there, brudda I won’t lie to ya. But I’m confident in my camp, in me team, and in me self, know what it mean? I’ll try to keep the fight standin’ get my shots it and light it up with a brata-ta-ta-ta. But we’ll see how it goes, I’m confident we gon’ get the W fo the 810.

ISAAC COHEN

At UGP 25, Cruiserweight Champion Roscoe Robinson announced that there will be a Cruiserweight Championship Contender Grand Prix coming soon, where the winner will earn a guaranteed title shot. What's your thoughts on this and are you planning on entering?

LOVELIE SAINT-CYR

It’s a bold move! But dat Roscoe is a bold guy, and he can name his terms in any way he like - he earned that through sport and violence. I respect Coe, I look up to him he my big G. But if he open up the door to his kingdom, you know I’mma slide in and pop up da place! So yeah, I’m thinkin’ bout enterin’ that. But we’ll see how it all plays out, see where da’ money is, and see what fights make the most since for me and mine.

ISAAC COHEN

Not long after you made the jump to Union GP, Everest MMA announced they would be switching to a seasonal, playoff format. What’s your thoughts on this new layout?

LOVELIE SAINT-CYR

To be honest brudda? I ain’t think to much about it. I’m proud of what I did in my time at Everest, but I’m makin’ the jump to Union - thas what I want to talk about, think about. Can’t spend to much time payin’ attention to all the noise, we saw that with me fight wit Tre. And it ain’t somethin’ i’ll have happen again. But ay, if it work fo em’, more power to em.

ISAAC COHEN

To keep on the topic of Everest, you lost the Welterweight Title to Tre Rozier. He’s also moved to Union but will compete at Middleweight. Would you ever consider moving down to face him once again in a grudge rematch?

LOVELIE SAINT-CYR

Twinkletoes a great fighter, he said he was gon’ get my ass, and he did. Can’t fight the outcome of that fight, it be what it be. But as far as him droppin’ that belt and followin’ me to Union. You know… If the money right, if the timing right. Sure I’d be down. But not right now, Got other, bigger opportunities ahead of me. And so do Tre’, that's why he moves up. Wouldn’t make sense for either of us to stall our grind to the top just to slug it out one more time. Maybe sometime down the line. But not anytime soon I don’t think.

ISAAC COHEN

One final question before I let you go, you’re just now starting your run in Union GP, but who is a dream fight you would love to have against one day? Do you have any names circled that you’re striving to face as you move up the rankings?

LOVELIE SAINT-CYR

Roscoe Robinson, nuff said brudda. But I also think me and Santos could have good one.

ISAAC COHEN

Alright Lovelie, again I want to thank you for taking the time out of your schedule as you prepare for this highly anticipated debut in Union GP. Before we sign off, the floor is yours if you have any final thoughts.

LOVELIE SAINT-CYR

Shout out to the 810, to the Hatian, to my people. We out here doin’ this for you fam fam, wouldn’t be nothin’ without you.

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ISAAC COHEN

Ladies and gentlemen, with me now is a true record-setter. He is the first Union Grand Prix two division champion, the first to hold two championships simultaneously, the number one ranked fighter in the pound-for-pound rankings, and has the most wins inside a Union Grand Prix cage, the one and only “Double D” Delaney Donovan. Delaney, thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to chat with me. First off, how is the life of a double champ treating you?

DELANEY DONOVAN

It’s no different than the life of not being a champion at all, other than being a little more financially secure. I’ve never been much of a guy who is out there in the media, making a big scene out of his life. I like my privacy. I keep to myself and focus on working on myself as a person and as a fighter.

ISAAC COHEN

Leading up to the fight against Robert Guilliman, there were questions about how well you would perform with the added mass to your frame. We saw the two unsuccessful bids from Aries Reed in the Cruiserweight division, and several pundits were pointing out that the same could happen to you. Obviously you put those questions to bed, having two Championships in your possession right now, but how has the weight management been with this fight coming up against Travis Decker?

DELANEY DONOVAN

I’ll be honest, fighting at this weight class doesn’t feel exactly natural to me but I felt like the guys in this division put their championship aspirations on hold for the super fight between Bobby and I. So I felt it was only right to give whoever was next in line, and that turns out to be Travis Decker, the shot that they’ve earned. But I definitely feel a little bit heavy. I definitely feel a little bit slower than I would like. Those are all just excuses, though, I suppose. Little things that bother me about my own game when I know that, at my natural fighting weight, don’t give me problems. At the end of the day, though, I’m still Delaney Donovan. I’m still the first, and only, multi-weight class champion. If Travis Decker is going to take this championship from me it’s not going to have anything to do with weight management issues. It’s going to be because he was the better fighter at this weight class on that night and I think I’ve more than proven thats no easy task for anyone.

ISAAC COHEN

Staying on topic concerning your next opponent, what are your thoughts about Travis Decker? After having an up-and-down tenure to start his pro career, he seems to have re-invented himself by focusing more on striking and less on wrestling. He’s got about five inches in height on you, do you believe you can go toe-to-toe with his new found strength of striking?

DELANEY DONOVAN

I believe I can go toe to toe with anyone in the striking game. I’m difficult to hit and I land my punches pretty consistently. The difference in height put me at a disadvantage, sure. But it put me at a disadvantage against Bobby too and we all know how that fight went. But listen, I said already, Travis has earned this spot. He’s no slouch in the cage and regardless of what any loud mouths might say, it’s hard to win in the cage once. It’s even harder to be a contender. It’s even harder than that to break habits and reinvent yourself in the way he has. So clearly he’s got the willpower to be successful. I’m looking forward to it, honestly. If you want to be the best to have ever done it, then you’ve got to be willing to fight anyone and everyone who comes calling. I’m always going to do that.

ISAAC COHEN

Let’s say for the sake of argument you get past Decker, who would you like to face next at 185?

DELANEY DONOVAN

That’s not for me to decide and I’m not in the position to think about it. There’s a lot of really deserving guys and that matter will sort itself out on its own. I’m focused on Travis Decker and that’s it.

ISAAC COHEN

It appears like your next fight is already lined up in the Lightweight division after Natalie King captured the interim title against Yasmine Vermeulen. It’s obvious she’s the number one contender after running through Sofia King, Byron McCall, Zari Aliyah, and now Vermeulen after you two last fought, but how do you feel about facing The Bandit a third time, especially after winning the first two contests?

DELANEY DONOVAN

If she’s the next up then she’s the next up. That’s all there is to it.

ISAAC COHEN

One last hypothetical, and it’s one I don’t particularly like to bring up, but what if King wins? Would you pursue a fourth fight, or perhaps make a permanent move up to Middleweight and focus solely on one division?

DELANEY DONOVAN

I don’t see a prolonged stay at Middleweight in my career. I’ll fight at this weight class until I lose the belt or retire but my primary focus is always going to be at lightweight and I don’t deal in hypotheticals. Especially not in hypotheticals that deal with me losing to someone I’ve already beaten twice. If Nat is my opponent a third time, then I expect a third victory and there’s no reason to consider anything else.

ISAAC COHEN

One last question before I let you go, after winning the Lightweight Title, you headlined a fight, in Ireland no less, against your mentor and fellow ScrapYard ambassador Carrick Price at UGP 16. Is there another dream match that you want to have before it’s all said and done and you call it a career?

DELANEY DONOVAN

Yeah. I’d like to find a way to fight Dallas. Scotland against Ireland. I’d even do it in Glasgow if need be. Let ScrapYard put on another show. But we’ll see. I’ve got a lot of fights left on this contract and two championships to defend still. I’m not quite ready to talk about hanging things up just yet.

ISAAC COHEN

Well Delaney I thank and appreciate you for taking the time to talk with me, if there’s anything else you’d like to add, the floor is yours.

DELANEY DONOVAN

Thanks Isaac. Just want to give a quick shout out to all of the trainers at ScrapYard, the staff and the people in general. I’m proud to be, and to have been, a part of building something as inclusive as what we’ve got going on there and even more proud to see the next generation of fighters coming through our doors in guys like Elliot McMillan. So let me just say if you’re out there and not sure where you fit, we’d love for you to come by and pay us a visit and see if we can’t help you sort that out.