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Arsenal youngster reveals desire to give mixed martial arts a go
Published 11:50 19 Oct 2017 BST
Homesport
Maybe Troy Deeney should watch what he says about Arsenal in the future.
If he's not careful, he might have a cage fighter with allegiances to the Gunners who could seek vengeance for the Watford forward's suggestion that Arsene Wenger's side lack cojones. Reiss Nelson is not exactly a household name just yet but the Arsenal youngster is beginning to show early signs of what he is capable of after receiving some first-team opportunities from Wenger over the past two months. Nelson, 17, has already featured in the Europa League, Carabao Cup and Community Shield this season and while starting places under Wenger do not come easy, there would appear to be plenty of fight in the English winger.
An avid fight fan, Nelson has suggested that he would consider venturing into the world of mixed martial arts after his football career is over with.
Speaking to Arsenal magazine, the teenager also revealed that he is a huge fan of UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor and top welterweight Donald Cerrone.
"I watched the McGregor fight," Nelson said. "And for the first couple of rounds I felt he was doing really well and he had Mayweather on the back foot, so I was confident that it would be a good fight and he might win, but then as the rounds went on he got pretty tired.
"I knew that from his previous UFC fights that he may tire out, like he did against Nate Diaz, and that’s what happened. Mayweather had his way in the last couple of rounds.
"I was backing McGregor all the way. I’m a really big UFC fan. I think his aura and his personality are really great. I like to watch a lot of his documentaries and his vlog, and I think he’s just come up from nothing really. He was a plumber before he became a fighter, he’s worked really hard and his story is great.
"In some ways, I look up to him as a sportsman. His work rate and the effort he puts in is immense.
"I like Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone a lot too. He’s a very good fighter, very versatile and uses a lot of kicks in his style. I really like the flying knees and all of that, but no one really does that sort of thing anymore, people tend to grapple much more, but I love that style.
"MMA is something that I may want to get into after football. I spent some time over the summer doing a lot of kickboxing and I just felt that it was something I enjoyed doing a lot."
"I was backing McGregor all the way. I’m a really big UFC fan. I think his aura and his personality are really great. I like to watch a lot of his documentaries and his vlog, and I think he’s just come up from nothing really. He was a plumber before he became a fighter, he’s worked really hard and his story is great.
"In some ways, I look up to him as a sportsman. His work rate and the effort he puts in is immense.
"I like Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone a lot too. He’s a very good fighter, very versatile and uses a lot of kicks in his style. I really like the flying knees and all of that, but no one really does that sort of thing anymore, people tend to grapple much more, but I love that style.
"MMA is something that I may want to get into after football. I spent some time over the summer doing a lot of kickboxing and I just felt that it was something I enjoyed doing a lot."
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