Significant time has passed since what many believe was the robbing of Dominick Reyes of the UFC light heavyweight title, but for the man himself it only fuels the fire heading into his shot at redemption.
“He took what’s mine,” Reyes says of Jon Jones and that wildly contentious call back in February, when judges awarded the champion a unanimous decision when the challenger appeared to have prevailed. “And I’m here to get it back.
“I’m not here to play games. I’m not here to enjoy the beach. I’m not here to enjoy anything. I’m here to fight and win.”
Reyes’ response is peppered with expletives, adding to the sense that he still considers himself a man wronged. Jones, widely recognised as among the greatest UFC athletes of all time, vacated his crown last month, leaving Reyes and Pole Jan Blachowicz to scrap it out for the title on Sunday at UFC 253 in Abu Dhabi. It's one of two championship bouts kicking off a second Fight Island series in the capital.
Speaking to The National now from his hotel suite as bikes loop Yas Marina Circuit below - "its pretty cool man; this place is awesome" - Reyes doubles down on the burning that rages in his rush for gold.
“I get upset when people just want to talk about ‘what if you don’t win?’ he says. "But screw you. I’m going to win. This is not a game. This is my entire life; I’ve put my entire soul into this. And everybody’s going to see.”
The California native is apparently more motivated than at any time in his career, one that glistened through his first 12 unbeaten professional mixed martial arts fights until Jones inflicted its solitary, soul-destroying defeat.
“Not because of what happened, but because of what the situation is: the opportunity to be world champion," Reyes says. "I was extremely motivated in the last fight. It was very evident in my performance.
“But this is a whole new level of motivation and dedication and obsession. I’m a whole new animal, a whole new beast.
“I’m going to prove that I’m the best fighter of anybody in the world. There’s not going to be a question in anyone’s mind - ever - about who the best is. And that’s who you’re going to see. I’ve a pretty big chip on my shoulder right now. I’m ready to [expletive] destroy."
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UFC 247: Jon Jones beats Dominick Reyes
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For all that, Reyes insists he isn’t underestimating Blachowicz. At 36, his rival is six years his senior, a veteran of 34 pro bouts and the former light heavyweight champion in his home KSW promotion.
Unlike Reyes, Blachowicz comes off a win in February, his third successive success and 26th overall.
“He’s huge, in stature and in threat,” Reyes says. “He’s a big man, powerful, experienced. He’s a very formidable opponent in all aspects of the word. But I’m better. That’s just what it is. But he’s a very worthy opponent to be fighting for the title.”
Listening to him, Reyes' confidence doesn't seem misplaced.
“My style’s better, my talent is greater,” he says. “I’m younger. Our power is pretty close, and I have championship experience. I fought a championship fight in my last fight. He fought championship fights as well, but not in the UFC.
“A UFC championship fight is different to anything else in the world. And I have the experience against arguably the greatest of all time.”
The opportunity in Abu Dhabi allows Reyes to embark on his quest to be mentioned alongside Jones, not for February’s flamed frustration, but as a bona fide UFC legend. First, though, he wants simply to be known as a champion of his sport.
“Tremendous,” Reyes says when asked how he would feel on Sunday, arm raised. "There’s going to be a lot of relief as well. There’s going to be a 'finally, I did it'. I’m sure there’s going to be emotion involved: this has been a lifetime of work, man, and I can’t wait until I do it. Until my dream has finally become a reality.”
He has transported the mind to that moment on Sunday morning - Reyes is staying on US Pacific time this week in preparation of his 7am bout - with Blachowicz beaten and bowed, that lifelong dream blooming into reality.
“That’s the only thing I visualise,” Reyes says. “That’s the only thing that feels good. I’ve knocked him out thousands of different ways. I’ve choked him thousands of different ways. None of that feels that great.
“The only thing that feels amazing is when I have that belt wrapped around my waist. That’s the only part of the visualisation that makes me feel good. And I can’t frickin’ wait.”
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See Yas Island transformed for UFC Fight Island 1
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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'Dark Waters'
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper
Rating: ****
Nick's journey in numbers
Countries so far: 85
Flights: 149
Steps: 3.78 million
Calories: 220,000
Floors climbed: 2,000
Donations: GPB37,300
Prostate checks: 5
Blisters: 15
Bumps on the head: 2
Dog bites: 1
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
EXPATS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
More on Quran memorisation:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Kerala Knights 103-7 (10 ov)
Parnell 59 not out; Tambe 5-15
Sindhis 104-1 (7.4 ov)
Watson 50 not out, Devcich 49
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Neymar's bio
Total club appearances 411
Total goals scored 241
Appearances for Barca 186
Goals scored for Barca 105
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Specs
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Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
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