Mark Munoz skulle ursprungligen ha mött Chael Sonnen för att avgöra vem som skulle få gå match om titeln, men Monoz skadade sig och ersattes av Michael Bisping. Nu visar det sig att Sonnen hade erbjudit att hjälpa Munoz finansiellt när han skadade sig.
”And for everyone that hates Chael Sonnen, Chael Sonnen is actually a guy that is a very compassionate person. He actually extended his hand to me and he goes, ’If you need any financial help, I will help you out. I know how much this fight meant to you and I will help you out.’ That speaks volumes about him man, it really does. I was like, ’Man thank you Chael, I really appreciate that and if I really do need it, I will ask for it, but I am good.’ Despite what people may think about him, he is actually a really good person.”
Citatet kommer från en intervju som The MMA Hour gjort med Munoz. I intervjun beskriver han även vägen från skadan fram till uppladdningen inför matchen mot Chris Weidman.
”I was actually really down, I was down. After watching that fight it was crazy. After seeing Chael’s performance and Bisping’s performance, I was like, ’That could have been me.’ I could have put a really good performance inside the Octagon, so I was down. I’m just going to be real, I’m real right now. I cried man. That was my opportunity and this and that and I could have been number one contender and it was really hard for me. I had people just encouraging me. I’m a religious guy, and in my mind of faith, people were just pouring over me saying, ’Hey, this is your story. This is what you’re going to go through. Adversity is the dust that polishes a diamond. You’re a diamond brother, you’re going to go through this and you’re going to shine at the end of this. Life is 10-percent of what happens to you and 90-percent of how you react to it. This is your story, have a great attitude, get your head out of your butt and start training.’ I was down for about three months after the injury. I couldn’t snap out of it and I was training and people were like, ’Munoz, what’s wrong with you?’ And I was like, ’I’m, good.’ But it was affecting me. After those three months, I had twelve weeks to get back in shape and I truly believe adversity makes a fighter who he his and a person who they are. I’m so in shape right now. I’m better in shape than I was with Chris Leben and I broke him in the second round. I’ve been working on my striking and it is great and my MMA wrestling and my transitions are good and I’m feeling good for this fight. I’m going in there confident and on fire so you’re going to see a ferocious ’Philipino Wrecking Machine,’ for sure.”
Mark Munoz möter Chris Weidman den kommande natten mot torsdag svensk tid på UFC on Fuel TV 4.
