#like in a perfect world where kenny was able to come back sooner and the ue storyline didn't die many deaths then yeah go for it

[biancabelairs]

i'm thrilled kenny might be coming back by all out, i've missed him dearly

i'm considerably less thrilled about hung bucks getting put on ice again and/or bucks/ftr 3 for all the belts at all out getting canned for the sake of kenny/bucks trios champs, as much as i love the three of them as a unit but like. it's been months since the timing for that was right and i'd like to see some payoff for the things that got set up in the meantime

[just-a-poor-boy-queen]

To the anon who requested the school prompts; I attempted to write something about a parent-teacher meeting, but I couldn’t come up with a believable way for both Freddie and Jim to attend, given that Freddie would draw way too much attention. I hope you don’t mind if I skip that one. Here’s your request for Freddie picking up Khaleel from school!

Part 36 of Jimercury Kid series

‘Fucking vultures.’ Freddie muttered under his breath, as he sat with Kashmira in her car and observed the small group of journalists who had gathered at the corner of the street opposite Khaleel’s school.

They always hung around there, holding out hope that the little boy might walk through the gates, and they would finally be able to snap a picture of his face to put on the front page of their shitty tabloids. But they were wasting their time. Special arrangements had been made to ensure that Khaleel always exited the school from the back of the building, where Jim or Terry would be waiting to pick him up. By the time the vermin from News of the World had set up their cameras, their target was long gone.

The school run was something that Freddie had always longed to be involved in. Perhaps it was selfish of him, but he just couldn’t help it. He wanted to be able to sit in the car and wait for his little boy to come bouncing through the back doors and into his arms. He wanted to help Khaleel put his seatbelt on and laugh when the child insisted he was a big boy and could do it himself. He wanted to sit in the passenger seat, Khaleel’s bookbag and lunchbox balanced on his lap while his bijou excitedly chatted away about what he got up to in class that day, while Jim turned on the radio and made faces at their son through the rear-view mirror.

He wanted to do what every other parent did. But he couldn’t, because he knew wherever he went the paparazzi would be hot on his tail. All sorts of rumours were still circulating in the press about Kenny’s origins. Some still believed he was the secret lovechild of Freddie and Mary, others reported that he was the result of a one-night stand with a fan and perhaps the worst was a statement made by an anonymous “inside source,” who claimed Freddie had purchased him from the Middle East for over fifty million Indian rupees.

He had resigned himself to the reality that there were some things in Khaleel’s life that he would just have to miss out on. Like end-of-year plays, and parent-teacher meetings, and taking the boy to and from school.

That was until Kash had came up with a rather genius idea.

Freddie’s private car would be easily noticed by the paparazzi. But hers wouldn’t.

‘There he goes.’ Freddie said as the Volvo in front of them pulled away from the pavement and began driving towards the back entrance of the school. ‘Be ready, Kash.’

‘Feels like bloody Mission Impossible.’ Kash laughed, keeping her eyes on the road ahead. ‘I don’t know how you put up with this every day. Why didn’t you just save yourself the trouble and stick to painting?’

Freddie chuckled despite himself. ‘Sometimes I wonder.’

He was glad they could still have conversations like this. They had briefly fallen out of contact after the whole ordeal with social services, but Freddie quickly realised that Kashmira wasn’t the one at fault and she had proved her loyalty to him by telling the truth. Even if they weren’t children anymore, defying their parents was no easy feat and poor Kash was withstanding the worst of the fallout.

‘How are they?’ Freddie asked quietly, almost hoping she wouldn’t hear him. But he should have known better; nothing got past his sister.

‘Not good.’ She replied, still looking out towards the road. ‘They keep asking after you, wanting to know if you’re alright. They ask about Khaleel a lot as well. I never know what to say.’

Freddie felt his jaw clench instinctively. ‘Tell them the truth. It’s been two years and he still has nightmares about what happened. He’s still scared to be left alone and can’t stand to be away from us for too long. It was months before he would go into school without clinging to Jim and begging him not to leave. Dr Atkinson says it may affect him for the rest of his life. You tell them that next time they have the nerve to ask you how Khaleel is doing.’

Kash sighed, glancing down at her hands which were gripping the steering wheel. ‘They really regret what they did, Freddie.’

Freddie rolled his eyes. ‘Don’t start, Kash. If you expect me to forgive them-’

‘No, I don’t.’ His sister cut in, her voice eerily calm. ‘If they had done that to Nathalie and Jamal, I wouldn’t forgive them either. I’m not questioning your decision. I just…’ her hands tightened around the wheel a moment as she lost herself in thought, ‘…I need you to know that they’re truly sorry. I know their apologies mean nothing at this point, but they’re not trying to justify their decisions anymore. They’ve accepted that they did a terrible thing and brought everything that’s happened upon themselves. They’re not asking for forgiveness; they just need you to know that they realise they were wrong.’

Freddie hadn’t anticipated such an answer. He was dumbstruck for a moment, tongue retreating behind his teeth as he allowed her words to sink in. As much as he would deny it, there was still a part of him that longed for the company of his mother and father again; he still found himself lingering by the phone on occasion, half hoping they might call or listening for the buzz of the intercom in case they decided to drop by. Knowing that they were truly sorry didn’t make the pain go away but it did give him an odd sense of comfort.

Before he could respond, he saw the Volvo pulling out onto the road ahead, slowly turning the corner until it was out of sight.

‘Here we go.’ A grin spread across Kash’s face as she belted herself in. ‘Keep your head down.’

Freddie ducked out of view as they passed the huddle of reporters, raising his hand to flip them off before sitting up straight in his seat while Kash cackled like a hyena. They drove up the street and turned the corner where the Volvo was sitting waiting for them.

‘Thank you, Kash.’ Freddie said gently, knowing they only had a limited amount of time before the rest of the students came pouring out onto the street. The last thing he needed was to be chased by a gang of schoolchildren at his age. ‘For this, and for telling me how Mama and Papa are. I appreciate it.’

Kashmira smiled at him, though it looked rather strained. ‘You’re welcome.’ Then she added, almost nervously. ‘You know I love you, right?’

‘Yes.’ Freddie replied, voice almost catching in his throat. ‘I know. I love you too.’

He opened the car door and went to step out, glancing over at the Volvo where Khaleel was sitting in the backseat, bouncing excitedly at the sight of his Baba. Freddie hesitated a moment, before turning to Kash again. ‘Why don’t you and Roger come over for dinner tonight? Bring the kids with you?’

Kashmira’s dark eyes batted in surprise, but she didn’t look displeased. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Jim’s making shepherd's pie tonight and he always makes too much, so…’ He shrugged in a rather lukewarm effort to display indifference, when in fact his heart was hammering painfully. To his relief, Kash smiled.

‘That sounds perfect. I’d love to come.’

‘About six ’clock?’

‘We’ll be there.’

Freddie nodded, the tightness in his chest finally ceasing to be. He wandered if he should embrace her, but decided he wasn’t quite ready for that step and simply said, ‘see you later,’ before shutting the door and making his way over to the Volvo.

‘Baba!’ Khaleel cried as soon as Freddie was near, and he rolled his window down so Freddie could poke his head through and start covering him in kisses. ���You came, you came!’

‘Yes, I did!’ Freddie blew a raspberry into the child’s neck, making him squeal. ‘We better take you home and get your homework finished – Auntie Kash and your cousins are coming over for dinner.’

Khaleel’s blue-green eyes went wide with joy. ‘Are Dādī and Dādā coming too?’

Freddie’s smile disappeared and he briefly made eye contact with Jim, before saying, ‘I’m sorry, darling. Dādī and Dādā are very busy.’

Khaleel crossed his arms and pouted, ‘they’re always busy.’

‘I know…’ That familiar tightness returned to Freddie's chest, squeezing until it almost hurt to breathe. ‘But let’s not think about that now. Daddy’s making shepherd’s pie, and if you finish your homework on time, you can help him stir the pot.’

This seemed to put the boy in good spirits again and he spent the majority of the car ride chatting away to Freddie about his day as Jim drove them home, careful to keep themselves scarce from any prying eyes. When Khaleel eventually trailed off and turned his attention to the contents of his bookbag, Jim glanced at his husband in the passenger seat and murmured, ‘are you sure you’re okay having Kash over tonight?’

Freddie took a deep breath, staring out the window at the people passing by, not really caring if he was recognised. ‘I can hardly go about the rest of my life pretending she doesn’t exist.’

When this didn’t earn the chuckle he had anticipated, he sighed. ‘None of this is Kash's fault. I know she could have told me sooner about Mama and Papa calling social services, but what matters is that she did tell me. She chose me over them, which must have been the hardest thing she’s ever had to do. I’ve already lost most of my family, I don’t need to lose anymore. It's time to make peace.’

Jim nodded wordlessly, reaching over and gently grasping Freddie’s hand. ‘I’m really proud of you, sweetheart.’

Freddie lifted the Irishman's hand to kiss his knuckles. ‘Thank God somebody is, darling.’

This was a perfect mix of sweet and angsty. Lol at the beginning I thought it'll be about our dads picking their baby up from school and being all cute and adorable, then BAM, came the angst. But I absolutely loved it!

Someone recently asked in the notes of one your drabbles about any lingering trauma that Khaleel feels at this point in the series. I think they've got their answer now. It's plausible really, for a child to experience the after-effects of being so harshly separated from his parents. I can only imagine how painful it must've been for the real Freddie to be isolated from his parents at such a young age. Poor baby.

I am glad Kash and Freddie are mending their relationship. I often get the feeling that Kash was never too involved in Freddie's life, but had Freddie survived his illness, it's possible that they may have grown closer. In the context of what has happened in this universe specifically, it'll be a while before they're completely comfortable with each other. But I am glad that Freddie is making an effort.

The end was so sweet, my heart. The perfect end to all the angst💙

(More drabbles by writer anon)

(All the parts of this series can also be found under the tag #freddie and jim and their baby on this blog)

[onestowatch]

Kenny Mason Is Aiming to Become the Biggest Artist in the World [Q&A]

Photo: Nasser Boulaich

If you’re a fan of Radiohead and Young Thug, then we have the new project for you. You probably already know about Kenny Mason, whose synthesis of shoegaze, hip-hop and grunge made headlines last year following the release of his debut album Angelic Hoodrat. 

This week, the Atlanta rapper returns to us with Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut, a twelve-track spiritual successor featuring some of the most dynamic and abrasive hip-hop tracks seen this year. Coinciding with its release, fans are also being treated to a visual for Mason’s new track “Much Money” with Freddie Gibbs. 

Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut makes an incredibly strong case for Mason’s spot in the Atlanta hip-hop Hall of Fame. Whether rapping with a steadfast intensity on ethereal cuts like “Fasho” or singing on the genre-breaking “Breathe” with Ambar Lucid, Kenny Mason’s risk-taking performances are consistently at the top of his game. Pulling from a wide range of influences like Princess Loko, Koopsta Knicca, and Tommy Wright III this time around, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut might be Mason’s boldest project to date.

Mason’s approach frequently resembles a swarm-like onslaught of syllables delivered over an infectiously chaotic mix, with the end result being a masterfully-crafted bout of hard-hitting lyrical genius. If you missed his debut last year, now is the perfect chance to become a fan. Joined by guests like Denzel Curry and Freddie Gibbs, Mason’s Angelic Hoodrat Supercut is not a project to mix.

Prior to the release of Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut, I was fortunate enough to sit down and talk with Kenny Mason. We discussed our love of live shows, the insane past year he’s had, and everything in between.

Ones To Watch: This week you’re giving fans 12 new tracks, but the album is called Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut. What relationship do you feel this new record has with the one you released a year ago? 

Kenny Mason:  A lot of the songs on this record we made during the sessions of the last album, so they have the same energy. It’s not that these were the ones I didn’t pick, I knew that we were going to do a deluxe, but we kept making songs throughout the pandemic. So it was like, “I like all of these, even the new ones, and the ones with features on them. We’re just going to do a whole Supercut and make it separate,” because stylistically I don’t really like having a 30 song tracklist. But it is truly a deluxe, just separated. 

I’m glad that you brought up features, because this time around you host a wide range of guests–Denzel Curry, Freddie Gibbs, Ambar Lucid, Angel White. What was the creative process like making this record, especially when it came down to the collaboration. 

Ambar Lucid came to Atlanta for a minute, I met her and she worked on the song. Angel was in the studio with me too, me and Angel have been friends for a minute, and I’ve always really liked his music. Their features were more in-person, but Denzel... he’s been fucking with me, so I already knew that I wanted to have a song with him. People had been asking about it, but I originally released “A+” on YouTube. Everybody was kicking my ass about it not being on streaming, so that was the last song where I was like “Oh this has to be on the deluxe, because people are going to be upset.” Freddie Gibbs came out of nowhere, my manager sent my song to him just to show him–I don’t even know if it was intended for him to get on the song–but bro got on it. Freddie Gibbs is one of my favorite rappers so that shit sent me! 

In collaborating with Freddie Gibbs you’ve had a pretty insane year. In some of the press you got around the time of Angelic Hoodrat’s release, you mentioned that the ‘Angelic’ denoted your desire to make music for the people who needed it, and ‘Hoodrat’ meant wanting to be big, wanting to be a star while still being yourself. With this year being so fucking weird, do you feel any of that has changed?

My purpose definitely has not changed. Regardless of my success, or what people project my “success” to be, I’m still going to make music and it’s always going to be therapeutic for me. In turn, I believe this is what makes it therapeutic for other folks. I think it’s always going to be that way, despite the numbers or the other shit folks care about. I think that I have–and want–more of a responsibility to really take things to a new level, and challenge myself. I work with some real talented folks, and they amaze me and I want to be bigger for them, and I want to be the best I can because they’re going hard. I’m indebted to them. I still feel I can be the biggest artist in the world and I can help people with my music. I’ll always feel like that hopefully. 

It’s great to hear that you’re both in tune with and thankful for the support you get. Touching on your desire to go harder, Angelic Hoodrat had you breezing through a ton of different genres and styles, like rock, R&B, experimental, industrial, grunge, punk, etc. Now we get tracks like “Breathe”, which share many similarities to early Radiohead cuts. Did you find yourself stylistically trying to explore other genres this time around, or were you more focused on refining your own personal sound? 

Yeah it was both, and it wasn’t purposeful. You mentioned Radiohead, we made “Breathe” after I had listened to The Bends all the way through for the first time. You know I’m young, so I had to go back and revisit that, but we were listening to that in Tennessee where that song was made. I don’t think it was purposeful, more natural as a result of me fucking with it–soundscapes and palettes–and it being the same week. Also I had been listening to a lot of Texas and Memphis rap. I didn’t do it to be like, “oh this is the new shit I’m on,” it was natural because I liked it. Whatever I like I indulge in all the way. It will bleed off into what we make, especially if we all [Skufl and Julian Cruz] like it, then it will come out and be harmonious.

I’m sure you’ve noticed this, but almost every piece of coverage you received last year around Angelic Hoodrat’s release was like “Oh my god, he’s a rapper from Atlanta… and he likes The Pixies and the Smashing Pumpkins?!” Why is it such a huge deal that this guy from Atlanta likes the Pixies? Why are The Pixies and Atlanta Rap so incompatible?

Yeah, I feel you. I could have the same reaction, but I understand why. Social shit, in rap music the rockstar aesthetic isn’t a thing that a lot of artists use. There’s only like a handful of artists that dive into the music–or maybe they do and they just don’t vocalize it–but I really just like those bands. People always ask me for my top five rappers but they never ask for my top five bands, and that’s just as important. If I had a top ten list of artists I liked, Jay Z would be right next to Nirvana.  

Do you feel like this puts any pressure on you to conform to the Atlanta rapper archetype? Or does it push you to be even more of yourself?

I don’t really feel any pressure from either end. I’m going to be me and like what I like regardless of who is and isn’t surprised, it’s not going to change my life. In turn, it’s not going to change what I make. It’s good, people being surprised, it’s a little culture shock. That’s more of what the world needs anyways, culture shocks and breaking down toxic norms. Also plenty of people my age like all types of shit.

You were pretty big a year ago, but I’d say that you’re on a whole new level now. What is a piece of advice you’d give to yourself a year ago based off of what you’ve learned since? 

I would say “go vegan sooner”, and just “make more music.” I made a lot of music but I could always make more. I can always go harder. I was real blessed during the pandemic, and was able to make music and form new relationships from home. I probably would have done more had there not been a pandemic at the same time, but I still connected with a lot of people. I’m still real grateful for that. I still have a lot to do.

 You’ve accumulated a ton of really sick accolades and accomplishments since you started rapping. You collaborated with IDK and JID on a song last summer, you’ve had a viral TikTok hit, and you’ve gotten press from some of the biggest music outlets on the planet. What do you have your eyes set on next? 

Shows, looking people in the eye, and singing songs with them. I don’t care about awards or billboards, that stuff is more or less not in my control, so I’m not really fixated. I want to have huge shows, do really great live shit, and make music that goes hand-in-hand to complement that. Even if it is virtual, I would treat it just the same. Really connecting with people–that’s a priority. I can’t say for sure what that looks like, but my connection with people is the most important. All that other stuff will be a result of how strong that connection is. 

Talking about shows just makes me realize how much I want to go back to that world.

It’s going to be like getting the love of your life back. 

Who are your Ones To Watch?

Ah damn… Skufl, Jelani Imani, and Muddy Mya. I was listening to one of her songs last night. It’s hard to choose. 

Listen to Angelic Hoodrat below:

[actutrends]

Tales of the ‘Iron Lady,’ who is the real Germaine de Randamie?

Germaine de Randamie is set to compete in her second career title fight at UFC 245. Whether it’s in or out of the Octagon, she’s never let anyone hold her back.

The sound of the horn echoed throughout the Barclays Center. It was the second time that the state of New York had hosted a UFC event and history had just unfolded in the evening’s featured attraction. Bruce Buffer began to read the scorecards.

“All three judges score the bout 48-47 …” The fans and fighters gazed into the Octagon anticipating the result. “For your winner, and new UFC women’s featherweight champion … Germaine ‘The Iron Lady’ de Randamie!”

UFC 208 had officially belonged to the Netherlands’ favorite fighting daughter. But what would be a great moment for her and her homeland was soured in the eyes of the public – mid-fight as well as post-fight.

21 years ago, a 200-plus pound 14-year old Germaine de Randamie discovered combat sports thanks to a friend. From there, she would go onto become a multi-time world champion in kickboxing and establish herself as one of the greatest strikers in Mixed Martial Arts.

Prior to that, sports were already a big part of her life as more often than not she could be found out on the Dutch soccer fields scoring goals aplenty.

“I played soccer, very high level, I was in the selection team of the Netherlands,” de Randamie shared with FanSided. “I played soccer for a long time and I really enjoyed it. And one day I woke up and I looked at my mom and was like, ‘I’m done playing soccer.’ She’s like, ‘Okay, well, that’s fine. If you’re done with it, you’re done with it.’ And a friend of mine, he was doing kickboxing at the time. He asked me, and I was a very heavy girl, I was pretty heavy. I think I was walking around at almost 205 [pounds], yeah. I was heavy. I was a big girl – at the time.

“Then that friend of mine who was kickboxing was like, ‘You want to come with me one time?’ I’m like, okay, I’ll do that. And then I was training for two months and then the coach said, ‘You want to do a fight?’ I’m like, okay, let’s try it. I never ever had intention to become a world champion. Never ever. Honestly, one thing just led to another, and it all played out, right now being here,” she laughed, “It’s been a crazy journey.”

Like notable MMA figures, Kenny Florian and all-time great, Jose Aldo, the transition from kicking soccer balls to kicking faces panned out for the Utrecht native.

Once de Randamie went pro, it was off to the races with no looking back. Just like Bob Ross, “GDR” stumbled upon a happy accident and started painting canvases of her own. She was a perfect 46-0 in her kickboxing career.

“It shows how crazy life can be,” she reflected, “Sometimes something changes in a person’s life and they’ll be like ‘Well, I had a plan and it was supposed to go that way.’ Yeah, but maybe your journey is supposed to lead another way and brings out something deep inside you that you never thought you had or could. And now you’re exploring something that honestly, truly makes you happy. Even though you thought going down the other road was the road you had to take.”

Consistently exuding positive vibes wherever she goes and whatever the situation surrounding her may be, that hasn’t always been the case in reciprocation.

At UFC 208 when de Randamie defeated Holly Holm to become the inaugural 145-pound champion of the UFC, the backlash received was as negative as it could possibly be.

After the bell sounded in both the second and third rounds of the title bout, de Randamie landed late punches to Holm that resulted in her being warned of point deductions without actually receiving any – to the displeasure of many.

Having gone onto capture the featherweight crown, “GDR” would be treated to death threats and plenty of toxic comments for her actions. To top it all off, her declining to defend against the top challenger in Cris “Cyborg” Justino didn’t help at all either.

Now 35, the “Iron Lady” has always done things her way and isn’t going to let anyone else tell her what she can and can’t do. As the “fans” did over the course of the immediate months that followed her title win, medical supervisors also recently told her that her time was up in the fight game.

“[My eye injury] was severe,” de Randamie said, “My doctor told me I would never fight again and they basically said hang up your gloves, Germaine. And I looked him in the eye and I’m like, ‘Seriously? A lot of people already told me to quit and I’m not gonna make it, but you ain’t gonna be the one to tell me that. I’m gonna do this my way.’ Then over time things got a little bit better. I do have permanent damage on the nerve but nothing that will stop me from fighting. So we’re ready to go. I see perfectly, let’s go.”

Four months after de Randamie won the belt in February 2017 she was stripped of it by the promotion. She wouldn’t step foot in the Octagon again until November of the next year and in that timespan, she had to heal a bad hand injury prior to the eye incident.

Expected to make her return to action sooner than November, the freak accident struck. In a way, it was like her past came back to haunt her.

“It was a stupid accident, it was seriously an accident,” de Randamie began, “I was playing soccer and I kicked the ball, I wanted to shoot on the goalie and make a score, and I really shot the ball hard and it hit the goalie and it came back and the ball hit my eye. A freak-ass accident. Seriously. 21 years of fighting, I played soccer, kicked the ball and … are you kidding me? So this camp I decided not to play soccer. Just to keep it safe,” she finished with a laugh.

“The thing is, I love being in nature and I love seeing so many things. So if you’re partially blind, it’s very scary. For a long time, I was very blind on one side. So that’s very scary. It is, but everything in life, not everything, but a lot of things in life happen for a reason. Sometimes things work out for the better. You learn so much about yourself even though it hurts for a period of time and you’re like, ‘why does this happen?’ But at the end of the day, I came back so much stronger, and I appreciate everything. And like I said, the most important thing is I’m going to do this my way. Like I said to the doctor, you’re not gonna tell me I can’t. So many people already told me that. And I’m still here. Nobody will hold me back.”

While the legacy of de Randamie is one that depicts her doing damage to other individuals, she never wants to hurt people just to hurt people. A consummate martial artist, she cherishes her ability to be able to protect her own as a police officer when she isn’t protecting herself against her opponents.

Full-time jobs and MMA don’t always mix well for many, but there have been obvious exceptions such as the heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic, who does his service to society fighting fires. For de Randamie, being able to give back is just something she feels is instinctual.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to find the balance. Especially for such a demanding and strict profession.

“I love my job. It is sometimes hard because I work and train, I really don’t get time off to prepare myself for a fight,” she expressed, “We don’t do that in Holland. They’ll be like, ‘Okay, you want to fight but you still have to work.’ So unless you don’t want to, you gotta take absence of leave but it’s for your own cost. So yeah, at times it’s difficult. Because you know, I’m getting older too. I’ve been fighting for 21 years. My body took a lot of damage over the years. After over 60 pro fights, it’s been a long career. And sometimes it’s very hard, very hard. But at the same time, I’m healthy. And I want to contribute something to society, not just being a fighter, I just want to contribute something.

“For me, it’s very important that people feel safe. When you walk the streets, you feel safe. I want to help people there where I can. So I love my job. I love what I’m doing. And I love fighting. So at times, it’s hard, but at the same time, it’s so rewarding. So I’m in a good position, I’m blessed.”

Opposed to her career putting the bad guys in cages, she admits that the only one holding her back in MMA cages has been herself.

With a 9-3 record in the sport, it took several instances for de Randamie to grow out of being simply that world champion kickboxer she was when starting. Her only losses have all come against future and current champions. Coincidentally enough, all of them saw her beaten due to her lack of knowledge in the grappling department.

Things were learned the hard way right from the get-go that maybe the approach to things was a bit wrong heading into this new venture.

“My advice [to my past self] would probably be tap if the submission is in,” de Randamie stated, “I got arm barred by Vanessa Porto [in my first fight] and I didn’t tap. Well, she ripped my arm in two pieces, basically, she did,” the former titlist said with a laugh, “I had no experience in MMA, you know? I’m like, oh I can get out of this. No, Germaine. You can’t. So that was very painful!

“If the submission is in, tap … and first, embrace the ground game more because Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling is a very different kind of sport and I see a lot of kickboxers right now transferring to MMA, and I believe honestly, some of them look at it too easy. Like, ‘Oh, I just throw a knee.’ It’s not like that, you don’t just throw a knee. So just take your time. Don’t rush anything. Everybody’s just focusing on ‘I want to be in the UFC. I want to be UFC champion!’ That’s great and I completely understand. But take your time. When you’re young, you have plenty of time. You don’t want to rush things because it takes a lot, not only physically, but also mentally being in such a big organization as the UFC. There are no shortcuts in the UFC. So take your time.”

Having not suffered defeat in six years, the Dutchwoman now prepares for the biggest fight of her life as she will rematch with the now UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes – the last one to hand her a loss.

When the two met in 2013 at a Fight for the Troops event, each were still making their ways up the bantamweight ladder as solid prospects. But in the end, Nunes exposed her rival to still be that striking specialist she was known as.

Initiating the clinch to inevitably hit a takedown, Nunes had essentially won the fight within the first 30 seconds. Three minutes later and she had officially scored the TKO win via ground and pound with elbows.

“I give her that credit,” de Randamie said, “I’m very thankful to Amanda. She brought out the best in me after our first fight and that’s the honest truth. I’ve learned so much after our first fight and I’m thankful for that. I am, honestly. If you just walk over somebody and stick to your mind and being that kickboxer in a completely different sport, you cannot compare kickboxing to MMA at all. Not even close. You’re stupid. Amanda opened my eyes because, at that point, I was still seriously a real kickboxer. She opened my eyes, I’m very thankful for that. She showed me that, you know, kickboxing is amazing, but you’re doing something different. So you gotta adjust.”

And adjust she has. Since the loss, we’ve seen de Randamie’s takedown and grappling defense improve in leaps and bounds.

Crediting her team for her continued success, she says she wouldn’t be here without them. Having balanced out her training when it comes to the striking and grappling realms, de Randamie is nothing but honest. Saying that it would be “arrogant and ignorant” to only focus on kickboxing, as when fighting in the ring rather than the Octagon, her style and approach are entirely different.

But ultimately, the CSA Holland representative envisions her gold strapped adversary to come at her the same way she did the first time … because if things start looking like a kickboxing match, de Randamie expects smooth sailing.

“Don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for Amanda, I absolutely do,” she said, “I mean, she’s a great champion no doubt about that and it’s an honor for me step to step in that Octagon with her again. But if this was supposed to be a kickboxing fight with 10-ounce gloves, she would have no chance, with all due respect. But it’s not kickboxing. This is MMA. I expect Amanda to shoot on me and if we look in the past with Amanda you see she has troubles with true kickboxers. Look at Valentina [Shevchenko]. Even she said she had a tough fight with Valentina, both fights were very tough, so I am in for a tough fight. That’s one thing that’s for sure.

“I know she has legit power. So I have to be careful with that too. I have 25 minutes, I have time. I have a plan. And I’m not going to rush anything. Like I said, I’ve got 25 minutes but if we can keep like a kickboxing fight it’s getting more in my favor every minute. But even on the ground, I honestly believe on the ground, I’m not afraid of her. Honestly. I will not make the same stupid mistakes I did in our first fight. But I do believe she’s gonna shoot on me. There’s no doubt about that. I honestly believe Amanda knows too, I am the most dangerous fighter at this moment that can beat her. I believe I am the only one at this moment that can beat Amanda Nunes.”

These big moments and positions with the spotlight on have become enjoyable for de Randamie. They only last for so long, so they’re enjoyed to the fullest.

From knocking out men in kickboxing to capturing world titles, there are only so many experiences in fighting that can be done before it’s time to experience something new. And sometimes, you might even just wake up one day and come to the realization that you don’t want to kick a ball around anymore.

Living in the moment with her eyes on the grand prize once again, de Randamie looks to write another happy ending to this chapter of her storybook career. But what does that entail for the next installment of the “Iron Lady’s” life?

“I’m always positive in every situation and of course you think about it,” she said of retirement, “Because I want to become a mom one day. But at this point right now, I don’t know, because I don’t think it’s a thought that should be in my mind right now. You do have a plan for yourself, but it’s not a thought that is crossing my mind right now. And I don’t think that’s the right thought to have right now. But I do know, there’s not much left for me to do after this. I can defend the belt or if I lose, there’s not much to do after this. We’ll see.

“Of course, you want to defend the belt. But if I lose, I don’t know. Am I gonna try and capture the belt again? I don’t know, but still, like I said, right now my focus is on Saturday. Have fun, absolutely have fun, and that’s the coolest part. Now I get to have fun and I get to fight the best female MMA fighter there is at this moment. So that is just one thing in itself that is awesome. And put another thing in my basket for things that write my legacy. That’s the most important thing right now. That’s my focus. After Saturday, I’m gonna let my body heal then we’ll see what happens.”

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