Austin Vanderford can’t think about himself leaving Eire with out the title.
The unbeaten contender already took some pre-fight images with the belt earlier than difficult present middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi within the Bellator 275 headliner this Friday, Feb. 25. He favored the way in which it felt.
Undefeated at 11-0, Vanderford plans to carry some additional baggage on his airplane trip dwelling to the US.
“That may imply all the things,” Vanderford stated.
“I can’t image myself leaving Eire with out it,”
Austin Vanderford: “I’m only a completely different animal”
Vanderford expects Mousasi to carry the most effective model of himself into the cage. The 2-time champion is 6-1 in his seven Bellator fights, together with two profitable title defenses.
Mousasi’s resume speaks for itself with wins over Rory McDonald, Lyoto Machida, Chris Weidman and extra. Mousasi is a confirmed pressure, however Vanderford considers himself completely different from the opposite challengers.
Vanderforf is coming off three-straight dominant unanimous determination victories however is but to face anybody with comparable credentials to Mousasi.
“I anticipate him to be Gegard and never a lot will change from all of his earlier fights, I’m only a completely different animal, a unique opponent that he’s going to be going through up towards,” Vanderford stated.
Story of the tape
Vanderford turned to tape of Mousasi’s previous fights to search out weak point. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, who will nook Vanderford, handed Mousasi one in every of his seven losses again in 2010.
Vanderford checked out newer video as nicely, watching Mousasi’s third-round TKO win over John Salter at Bellator 264 final August.
“Even the final one with John Salter, simply seeing issues the place I assumed John might have performed one thing completely different so far as recreation plan,” Vanderford stated. “I really feel actually ready for Friday night time.”
The underdog
The American High Workforce product is coming into the struggle as an underdog for one of many first instances in his profession. Vanderford nonetheless likes his possibilities of making his imaginative and prescient of coming dwelling with the strap a actuality.
“I knew going into it I’d be an underdog, most guys who’re developing towards Gegard are going to be underdogs,” Vanderford stated. “After I exit on Friday and do what I do know I’m going to do, it’s going to be extra enjoyable if my checking account appears to be like somewhat higher too”
Connor Northrup as soon as lined municipal conferences and promised himself by no means once more. He’s now combining his ardour for Combined Martial Arts and reporting all into one.
