Juan Adams (5-1) is a heavyweight pugilist signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. For his third outing with the Las Vegas-based promotion, Adams will square off against the controversial Greg Hardy at UFC on ESPN 4, which takes place at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, on July 20.
As fight day looms, here are five things you might not know about the man they call “The Kraken.”
He favors getting the job done with strikes
Adams’ origins in the sport of mixed martial arts lie in wrestling. However, during his nascent career, he has leaned on his heavy hands to get the job done. All five of his victories to date have come by way of TKO via punches. Four of those wins have been delivered in the first round, making for an 80 percent rate.His list of victims include Shawn Teed, who he vanquished with strikes in the first frame at Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series Season 2, Episode 7. It was this TKO that persuaded the UFC to sign the prospect.
He holds a grudge against his forthcoming opponent
Adams has been vociferous in his criticism of Greg Hardy, his forthcoming UFC on ESPN 4 adversary. “The Kraken” never tires of criticizing his fellow Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series alum. The roots of this animosity stem from Hardy’s controversial past, most notably the former NFL star’s much publicized alleged assault of his ex-girlfriend.Adams is adamant that Hardy has been protected by the UFC, and that the much-maligned athlete is yet to meet a fighter with any credentials. “The Kraken” said in one interview, “Every person in America wants me to beat Greg Hardy’s a—.”
He is a large heavyweight
Adams is a 6’5’’ behemoth of a man who typically walks around at about 285 pounds. His gargantuan frame means that he is forced to cut considerable weight in order to make the 266-pound non-title fight heavyweight limit. The muscular combatant’s reputation as a snack food aficionado makes it all the more difficult for him to the shed the necessary pounds. However, in the build-up to his matches, the consummate professional has proven able to put pizza and jelly-filled cakes to one side.He is a big fan of professional wrestling
Since childhood, Adams has been a big fan of pro wrestling, and continues to watch a great deal of the orchestrated spectacle to this day. It was his love of WWE that led to him commencing wrestling training in his youth. Following a successful high school career, the future fighter went on to wrestle for the Virginia Military Institute.He is outspoken
Adams is a charismatic and cheerful individual who is usually found with a smile on his face. The afro-sporting athlete has a somewhat quirky nature, which he reveals on his Twitter profile. His favorite topics include his eating habits, particularly his love of the snack Little Debbies.The heavyweight also uses the platform to criticize those he does not like: as aforementioned, none more so than his forthcoming opponent. “The Kraken” initially called Hardy out on Twitter, and was pleasantly surprised when the UFC put the matchup together. In the build-up to the showdown, Adams has never missed an opportunity to air his contempt for Hardy’s credentials, and his burning desire to knock him out. In one tweet, Adams wrote, “Even without his criminal record, I’d still hate Greg Hardy.”