UFC: Mike Perry praises girlfriend’s ‘humble’ cornering and claims coaches try to ‘take credit’ for Octagon success
- Perry says layman girlfriend Gonzalez told him to put his ‘hands up’ during unanimous decision win against Gall
- ‘Platinum’ laments Gian Villante’s cornering and calls Michael Bisping’s comments ‘terrible’
The 28-year-old American (14-6) was subject to criticism leading up to the fight after announcing girlfriend Latory Gonzalez – who is not familiar with combat sports – would be his only cornerman at the empty Apex Arena. Several analysts raised the importance of having a coach’s input during camps and between rounds.
“There were a lot of haters, hating on us, on her. And she’s so innocent in all this. Obviously it’s because I talk from an entertainment side of the sport and because they be hating on me so hard,” said Perry at the post-fight press conference.
Gonzalez accompanied Perry during the walkout and put ice on his back in between his three-round fight welterweight fight with fellow American Gall (6-3). While Gonzalez has no experience coaching or cornering in combat sports, Perry mentioned in the past that she was a high school wrestler.
“[Gonzalez] did a great job, she kept it very simple,” he said. “I heard a couple of things during the fight and remember thinking ‘OK, she’s getting into it now’. There was one time [Gall] had swung and just missed and she said ‘get your hands back up’. Then in the corner when she was rubbing ice on me, she kept asking me what I wanted and ‘what can I do?’, trying to do more for me. It was really cool just sitting there quiet and thinking about how the next round is gonna do.”
“My girl did such a great job bringing in the stool with the bucket of water. Sometimes coaches be so ready to get in there and just tell you something and think they’re gonna make a difference.