10 Questions with Junie Browning

[Cory]

MMAJUNKIE-

MMAjunkie.com: You've admitted to playing things up a bit for the camera during this season. Do you consider the attention that's surrounded you a good thing or a bad thing?

Junie Browning: I don't think any publicity is necessarily a bad thing. People, most people, probably don't like me. But they're still going to tune in to watch me. Even if it's to see someone kick my head off my shoulders, it still brings the ratings.

I guarantee you more people were interested in mine and Efrain (Escudero's) fight than Eliot (Marshall) and (Ryan) Bader. I thought they fell asleep in the cage on top of each other.

MMAjunkie.com: UFC President Dana White gave you a brief psychological evaluation in the final episode. Did you agree with his belief that you were self-destructing in an attempt to avoid a potential loss?

Junie Browning: Yeah. Maybe not even intentionally, maybe sub-consciously. I sort of accepted the fact that I was going to lose already. It was going to be embarrassing. I just knew I wasn't prepared to fight at all. I know what it takes to get in there for three five-minute rounds. I don't feel like I had what it took right then.

I don't think I would have been upset if I went home. At least I wouldn't have gotten my ass kicked like I did on national television. That's not a good way to look at it, but that's the way I felt about it at the time. I wish I could fight him tomorrow, because I don't think it would be a first-rounder.

MMAjunkie.com: You wanted to quit mixed martial arts both before and after the bout with Efrain. How long did you keep that state of mind, and what changed within you to continue your professional career?

Junie Browning: Immediately after the fight, they take you straight to the confessional. Of course it's not going to be the most positive things that you're thinking of. I was just really down on myself. I went home and thought about it and realized that I wasn't fighting at 100 percent. So that's not a good time to quit. If I felt like I was fighting at 100 percent and still lost, it would have been a little bit different.

MMAjunkie.com: Out of the four losing semi-finalists, your bout is the only one that will be featured on the main card. What are your thoughts on the UFC featuring you despite the controversial actions that surrounded you throughout this season?

Junie Browning: I think once [the UFC] realized I came out here (to Las Vegas) to train, and that I changed stuff up -- that I'm not necessarily exactly the way I was on the show -- I think they are sort of taking a gamble on me again. They know I'm going to put on an exciting fight, regardless. I'm sure a lot of those other guys, their fights aren't going to be very exciting. They need someone to put on an exciting fight that night.

MMAjunkie.com: What are your thoughts on the finale matchup with Dave Kaplan?

Junie Browning: I think it's an awesome matchup for me. I trained with him. I don't believe there's any aspect of the game where he is better than me. My one downfall was my cardio, and I feel like he's going to be banking that my cardio is not going to be very good, and he's going to be surprised.

I'll be better than I've ever been. [People] are going to realize that I'm not the same person. It's going to be obvious, too. It's not going to be little things. Everything is going to be improved. I'm going to be a different fighter. People are going to realize that I should have won the whole show. I just made a bunch of dumb mistakes.

And I'm going to show them some stuff in the fight that they've never seen in any MMA fight.

[MitchMMA]

If he truly has changed, I hope he smashes David "I wasn't knocked out" Kaplan!

But part of me thinks he isn't as improved as he is saying he is. I mean he probably has improved a lot but the guy is making it sound like he's evolved into the next Fedor lol!

But hey he's a cocky guy, a little bit too cocky but he's got character. People are going to either want to see him do good... or want to see him get smashed, so either way people will watch his fights.

I really don't like him, but in reality (take away everything that happened from the TUF world and put him in the real world), I really don't think he's that bad a guy.


Dave Kaplan on the other hand is someone I really don't want to see in the UFC at all. Though you shouldn't overlook Kap, he's a pretty dangerous guy, he's much better than what he showed on TUF too.

[Soren]

If he truly has changed, I hope he smashes David "I wasn't knocked out" Kaplan!

But part of me thinks he isn't as improved as he is saying he is. I mean he probably has improved a lot but the guy is making it sound like he's evolved into the next Fedor lol!

But hey he's a cocky guy, a little bit too cocky but he's got character. People are going to either want to see him do good... or want to see him get smashed, so either way people will watch his fights.

I really don't like him, but in reality (take away everything that happened from the TUF world and put him in the real world), I really don't think he's that bad a guy.


Dave Kaplan on the other hand is someone I really don't want to see in the UFC at all. Though you shouldn't overlook Kap, he's a pretty dangerous guy, he's much better than what he showed on TUF too.

Kaplan was an idiot, he fell like a sack of potatoes. It's very simple, when you have a light heavyweight hit a lightweight...the lightweight is going to drop. I do agree though Mitch, his potential is insane, he's just...got no brains. His game plan in his last fight against Nover was beyond idiotic....ah well.

As for Junie...from the beginning, he just annoyed me.

I mean, it wasn't so much as he made me mad, but he was genuinely, annoying. Arguably the most indecisive person I've seen on TUF....

In all honesty, I'm looking forward to the finale but truth be told, I don't expect anything else from him then just another beat down, followed by a whole flurry of excuses Ought to be entertaining...

[MitchMMA]

lol yeah Kaplan is an idiot... but according to Mir he's "the best 155 pounder on the show".... maybe Kaplan will show us what Mir was talking about against Junie? Either that or Kaplan will once again make Mir look dumb lol.

[Soren]

lol yeah Kaplan is an idiot... but according to Mir he's "the best 155 pounder on the show".... maybe Kaplan will show us what Mir was talking about against Junie? Either that or Kaplan will once again make Mir look dumb lol.

Heh I hear that. I think it ought to be good, you know, in Kaplan's defense, Phillipe is my personal favorite light heavyweight. Who knows, maybe it was just one of those types of matches, I just, I honestly don't see what Mir sees in Kaplan.

Then again, just like you said, he might show us what we're all used to seeing, Mir looking like an idiot lol.

[MitchMMA]

If Kaplan would ahve actually followed through with a good gameplan, the fight with Nover would have been a lot closer I think... same result but not as short. Kaplan apparently is a really good kickboxer... he doesn't have the same power behind his strikes that Nover has but he's probably a bit more technical... just he followed through with a dumb ass gameplan.

Even if his chin is made of steel like he says... that doesn't mean "let the guy hit me three times in the face"... having a good chin is supposed to come in handy when you aren't able to slip or block the strike and you get hit from it. I don't get why he would think having a good chin means he is never going to get knocked out, it just means he can take a pretty good punch. Anyone can knock anyone out, it's stupid to allow someone to hit you lol.

And yeah Philipe is my fav LW too! He's got a ton of potential.

[Soren]

Agreed whole heartedly brosef.

But see, it all goes back to being able to hone your skills and use what you have. Kaplan, may be a great kickboxer, but the guy showed his idiocy on national television with what he said prior to the fight, following the fight, and then claiming to have been conscious after having his jaw nearly shattered off...something I still get a kick out of lol. T'was a hell of a punch.

Prime example, Vinny. He's a master at Jiu Jitsu...but as a striker he's better off just throwing in the towel. Thing is though, he waits for his opponent, soon as he sees an opening, he brings them to the ground and does what he does best. His fights, I swear, are the most boring I've ever seen, *shakes head* but the man is brilliant...boring...but brilliant lol.

[MitchMMA]

Yeah I agree.


I too thought Kaplan's post fight comments were ridiculous "I am still wayyy better than him", he got his ass whooped and can't even act humble in defeat lol. Then the whole drunk punch shit just ruined his rep lol.