Bubba Jenkins feels extra-motivated to defeat long-term rival Chris Wade in the much-heated rematch that will go down on the 2023 PFL 1 card on April 1.

Jenkins (19-6, 5-2 PFL) went inches away from winning last year’s Professional Fighters League featherweight championship as he lost to Brendan Loughnane in November. On that occasion, Loughnane stopped the “Bad Man” with punches before punctuating his performance with a knee in the fourth frame. Former Brave Combat Federation titleholder Jenkins didn’t take the loss personally and gratulated the British opponent, with whom Jenkins is still on good terms. The same can’t be said about the upcoming adversary Wade. The pair first collided in August 2021, when “The Long Island Killer” took home a unanimous decision victory after outclassing Jenkins on all three scorecards. This time, Jenkins is sure things will take a different direction as he feels he’s in a much better place mentally than it was during his first battle with Wade.

“I have no relationship with Wade. I have a strong disdain and dislike for him for multiple reasons, which I will not go into. Point blank and as simple as you can put it, I just don't like him. There's not much about him that I like, but I'm gonna try to stay in my composure and in my place and in my understanding that this is an opportunity to revenge a loss. I see it more as an opportunity to revenge a loss than anything else. There are just some people that you meet in life and for whatever reason or the other, you just don't like them and they don't like you. I'm okay with all of that. 100%, I can not stand this man, but I'm still going to be an athlete, be a professional, come to April 1 and really put on a performance that rectifies the last situation I have with Wade.”

(00:00) Intro

(00:37) Working hard after losing to Loughnane

(01:48) His loss in the 2022 PFL Championships

(03:19) Claiming he was still in the fight

(03:57) Being on good terms with Loughnane

(05:35) His disdain for Wade

(06:55) Listing a series of things he doesn’t like about Wade

(08:25) The adjustments he made since his first fight with Wade

(10:17) Being in a different place mentally

(10:58) Predicting he’ll face Loughnane again

(12:07) Outro