Bubba Jenkins Feels He Already Has Lance Palmer Beat

Not many people have gotten the better of Lance Palmer inside the cage or on the wrestling mats. 

Bubba Jenkins is the exception to that.

Jenkins has his sights set on both dethroning Palmer atop the Professional Fighters League featherweight division and claiming the million-dollar check that goes with winning the season-long title in 2021.

“I’m excited about the PFL and the upcoming year,” Jenkins said. “I was really excited that they took the necessary precautions to get us back in the cage and fighting, doing our jobs like we’re supposed to.”

Back when both were competing in NCAA for wrestling gold, Jenkins and Palmer squared off twice during the 2007-08 season with Jenkins securing wins both times. 

Jenkins left the wrestling arena as a national champion and runner-up, earning All-American honors twice. He transitioned into MMA and has secured 14 wins in 18 bouts including six knockouts and three more by submission.

And as for Palmer, that is definitely a match on his mind but for different reasons.

“The bout with Palmer would be nothing different than (the PFL) is just going to put a big check on his head,” Jenkins said. “I’ve squared off with him multiple times. I’ve looked Palmer in the eyes multiple times and I have seen him lose at my hand multiple times.

“It’s more of a bout with me being that I’m the guy who is the only one that’s beaten him like I’ve beaten him.”

Jenkins has secured championships for both Bellator MMA and Brave FC during his career. He has scored three consecutive victories and is 6-2 over his last eight with three of those wins coming by stoppage.

Palmer is the two-time PFL featherweight champion and was a four-time All-American competing for Ohio State. He is unbeaten in MMA over his last 11 bouts. 

“Although he is a champion, I’m a champion in my own right,” Jenkins said. “When we match up, I believe it will be no different than the matches of Penn State (Jenkins) vs. Ohio State (Palmer).”

Jenkins will be a guest on “Prep Point” with Lilian Garcia, which streams on the PFL YouTube page beginning Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.