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By Chamatkar Sandhu



What a whirlwind week it's been for the Euro FC team.



With just a week to go until their inaugural event in Helsinki, Finland their main event was in jeopardy when Johny Bedford had to pull out due to a neck injury. Fear not, because in stepped Ultimate Fighter season 12 winner Jonathan Brookins who now face Tom Niinimaki in this Saturday night's main event.



Following his UFC departure, Brookins explained the challenges he faced after winning the reality TV show. He also talked about how he dealt with life as a UFC fighter, and how a trip to India essentially gave him a new sense of perspective.



"Well, I kinda won that show and fell off," said Brookins. "I was one of those guys, dealing with the aftermath of becoming a flash in the pan success. So I spent time doing my typical thing where I f*ck around. Then I went to India to learn about how not to do that so much. Since then it's been as the old proverb says: there are two wolves inside you, battling. Which one wins? The one you feed the most. So, since my time on TUF I've been working on feeding that positive wolf. Getting him healthy and strong."



Brookins spent some time fighting in Japan, which was his first endeavor into fighting oversees having fought all his fights in the US. However, he is feeling the love in Finland, especially jumping right into the main event slot.



"It's the best," said Brookins. "Like I'm coming home for some reason. I feel this kindred spirit with this whole part of the world. That I'm supposed to be here. I didn't feel that in Japan. I didn't know it was the main event slot. I found that out later. I was sitting in meditation. The opposite of fighting and moving. I wake up from meditation and check my phone and this guy asked me if I want to come. I don't know what came over me. Very unlike my style. But it's Finland. I had to come."



With about a week's notice for a fight and not a full training camp behind him, Brookins will have to rely on his extensive yoga which has been a major part of his routine lately.



"More or less getting off the meditation cushion," said Brookins. "I sit on the floor. It's yoga. That's my goal, my passion, to bring yoga to mixed martial arts. That is my purpose. With lots of yoga under my belt and lots of inner conviction I felt it was time to step up and say 'let's just fight'. I feel like that's part of my inner journey. To fight more often. And that's what you're going to see from me."



Earlier this year Brookins fought for Pancrase in Japan but prior to that had a lengthy lay off and thought his time in the sport was up. He explains this period of his life as walking the earth until the phone rang and brought him back to MMA.



"I went back to Florida and was convinced I was done," said Brookins. "I never thought I'd fight again. I was working as a yoga instructor. Enjoying my life. Then I got a couple of calls, found myself traveling around, and I wound up at Tri-Star. Then Pancrase hit me up and asked if I wanted to try that fight again."



Now with Euro FC, Brookins feels appreciated and is not shying away from saying that the fighters are being taken care of by Europe's latest MMA promotion.



"For one, they're awesome," said Brookins. "The biggest difference is that they're really awesome. You're going to hear it from me first expressing this out into the universe. They're hooking the fighters up. Giving us what we deserve. Making the fighters feel good."



So the task at hand is a veteran of the game in Tom Niinimaki, in his back yard of Finland and a fighter who's had a full training camp. Brookins describes this as nothing short of beautiful and even believes he may get some love from the Finnish fans in the arena.



"I think he's (Niinimaki) great," Brookins said. "On a couple days' notice and I'm not fighting some bum. Getting off the meditation cushion to fight someone 1-0 isn't a good story. This is beautiful. I dig it. It's outta my hands. That's it. A couple little secrets. You gotta go inside yourself, you can't worry about what he's doing. I think the Finnish people are going to love me. I love them. They're going to be split down the middle."



As for the future, Brookins is all in on Euro FC and sees himself playing a big role for the promotion as they try and take things to the next level. As for a route back to the UFC, that's firmly in his rear view mirror and that's the way he wants it.



"I would love to fight exclusively for Euro FC," said Brookins. "That's my big motivation. To go in there and fight and earn me a spot in this organization. I dig it. My main goal is to be one of the best 135-pound fighters in the world. I have the body and athleticism to be the best in the world. The UFC, a lot of these fighters talk about how it's a circus. Being under that banner is not super important to me. I really don't want to fight in any other top American promotions."

