Letourneau: I’m so happy I just float
“I’m so happy here. I feel like I have nothing on my shoulders. I just float. And it’s not the first time it’s happened to me. I was a big underdog in my last fight too.”
Valerie Letourneau and Hector Lombard spoke recently with Submission Radio ahead of the straw weight’s title fight with champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 193 on Saturday.
Valerie on just how popular Hector Lombard has been since landing in Melbourne
He (points at Hector) has a big fan base, it’s unbelievable. Wherever we go, people know Hector. Like, I had no clue how known he is – and they never had a UFC in Melbourne. I just feel so sad, like hopefully the next one he can be here [fighting], ‘cause they’re really missing something with Hector.
Hector’s thoughts on people counting Valerie out
I think it’s good. I think it’s great, because they’re gonna be shocked. They’re gonna be like ‘wow, what happened?’. Even Joanna. She’s so confident. She thinks that she’s gonna be fighting a weak opponent, ‘till that moment happens and she realizes that it’s a different story.
If Valerie is motivated by people counting her out and Joanna claiming that she’s afraid
Of course. I kinda like that position, I gotta say. And the more it goes, the more – man, I’m so happy here. I feel like I have nothing on my shoulders. I just float. And it’s not the first time it’s happened to me. I was a big underdog in my last fight too. And even when I fought this boxer Jessica Rakoczy, it was like ‘she can’t stand with this girl, she has about 40 boxing fights’. I’m worried about what? The first punch I threw, she shot on me [for a takedown]. So I like that. I just like it.
It’s even more exciting for me, and it’s just gonna make the win feel even better. And the fact that Joanna thinks I’m scared…I just can’t wait to see her face when I walk in the octagon. Watch any of my fights. I so don’t give a f**k, when I step in there. I’m just going in there and I don’t care to get hurt. I don’t care. You can try to break my face in pieces.
I don’t know if she’s doing that for the show or she tries to convince herself, but I hope that’s the way she thinks. I just hope that’s the way she thinks.
Hector on Valerie’s past opponent’s all being bigger than her, and Valerie’s size and experience advantage
Hector: She performed against women that were way too big. Like, every single woman that you fought back in the day, they fight at 135. [They’re] bigger. And they can’t even make the weight at 135.
Valerie: And even [Claudia] Gadelha. My [last] loss was a split decision. That was a really close fight. So you think I’m gonna be scared? Of what? You think you’re gonna hurt me more than them? And I don’t care to be knocked out if I have to be knocked out. That’s a fight. [If] you’re scared to get hit, you do another sport. [If] you’re scared to get hurt, go to another sport. This is a joke, or what?
Hector on Joanna trying to be loud and emulate Conor McGregor in order to sell the fight
Obviously she wants to be loud. She kind of like wants to change her personality because she wants to become a big mouth, because unfortunately when you talk more, you get more views. She wants to become like Conor McGregor or something like that. So good for her. We’re gonna take the belt. That’s what matters
Valerie on Joanna’s overconfidence and underestimating her
I don’t know – like I said – if she’s doing that for the show, or she really believes what she’s saying. But I can say, if she underestimates me it’s gonna be a big mistake. Coz I’m ready to go there. I’m gonna be in her face too.
Some people just do it for the show. I’ve seen a bunch of friends in boxing and they just have a big mouth, and you see them in the gym, they’re not so loud. They’re just very humble people.
Hector on if Valerie could take Joanna down, even though Carla Esparza couldn’t
Multiple times. I’m telling you, she’s gonna take her down. I mean, there’s no doubt about that. And I don’t gotta tell you how, but she’s gonna
Valerie on how her striking stacks up against Joanna’s
I definitely have more striking than every single girl she fought before. This is where I want people to see the difference. Listen, she’s never fought with someone like me, who can exchange with her. So these girls were so focused on one way, ‘cause they only had one way they could win that fight. There’s was no way they could win [in the] stand up. I really believe I can beat her on her feet, and I can beat her in many other places.