Charles Radtke is on a mission when he heads into enemy territory this Saturday.
The Illinois native fights Mike Malott in a welterweight bout at UFC 315 in Montreal, the lone matchup on the cardboard pitting an American towards a Canadian. Given current political rigidity between the neighboring nations within the wake of President Donald Trump’s tariff struggle, Radtke was requested about how he’s feeling concerning the present local weather as he heads into his conflict with Malott.
The query particularly put to Radtke at Wednesday’s media day involved his ideas on Crew Canada’s win over Crew U.S.A. within the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off remaining this previous February (a match wherein the groups met twice, with the primary match preceded by an aggressive gesture whereby Canadians booed the U.S. nationwide anthem) and whether or not that rivalry is of any significance to him.
“I don’t give a shit about hockey,” Radtke mentioned. “That’s not my gig. However what I do maintain pricey is I grew up on a bison ranch with my grandfather, who’s a Sergeant Main within the Marine Corps, and whenever you all booed the nationwide anthem, any person’s going to must pay for that. Any person had mentioned, ‘Oh, properly you booed them the week after.’ Doesn’t make it proper.
“So inevitably I take that to coronary heart as a result of yearly I’d change 50 flags going up our driveway, so that you’re going to see the outcomes of it.”
Radtke was prompted to situation a message to all of the Canadians attending Bell Centre this Saturday and he stored it quick.
“Mainly, f*ck you,” Radtke mentioned.
Radtke isn’t any stranger to damaging crowd reactions. Following his UFC debut win over Blood Diamond at UFC 293 in Sydney, Radtke was booed by the group who had been largely in assist of New Zealand’s Diamond. “Chuck Buffalo” responded with a homophobic slur, an motion that he later apologized for.
Given Malott’s reputation up north, it’s possible Radtke will obtain an equally chilly response from the Montreal crowd. He welcomes it.
“I feel I’m going to be actual nervous,” Radtke mentioned with mock nervousness. “I feel I’m going to be actual scared coming in there. I feel that’s what it may be. Is that what you count on? That’s what you hope, proper? That’s not going to occur.”
