UFC on Versus – James Irvin looking to start his middleweight career off with a bang
UFC heavy hitter, James “Sandman” Irvin is determined to put the troubles of the last two years behind him heading into Sundays showdown with Alessio Sakara in Broomfield, Colorado, explaining he’s entering the prime of his career and if he can string a few wins together he could really start to make his mark.
Speaking via UFC.com, Irvin said:
“I think I’m getting into the prime of my career. I have five years left in this sport, possibly ten if I can go without injuries, and the guys I’m going against are either world champion jiu-jitsu guys, wrestlers or Muay Thai guys.”
“I’m none of those and I’m never gonna be any of those guys. But what I can be is one of the most athletic guys. I can be the biggest, tallest 185er, I can be the strongest, and those are the things I can put in my corner that I can’t when it comes to putting a black belt in my jiu-jitsu corner.”
“Until I got to the UFC, I was undefeated. I was steamrolling people. But I’m happy to have my losses be against the world-class fighters in the UFC. It’s funny, but that’s how it goes. I can get an eight second knockout (of Alexander), and then I have Anderson Silva smash my face. But my career’s always been that way.”
“I have flying knee knockouts against Terry Martin and then have a lackluster loss to Thiago Silva. My fight career has been back and forth, and if I can pull it together and stay on a string of three or four knockouts, then you know how this sport is – I’d be the next great 185er.”
Irvin then spoke about his opponent for Sunday night, Alessio Sakara, a man he believes has evolved his game to a new height over the past few years, something he puts down to the training at American Top Team.
“He’s definitely a lot better and I think it all goes back to ATT. They have one of the best, if not the best, camps in the United States, and it looks like it’s paying off. I think he was known in the past as not being a guy who trained a lot. He must have changed his ways and it definitely looks that way.”
Irvin hasn’t been seen since Anderson Silva dismantled him on “The Spider’s” first trip to 205 pounds back in July 2008. After testing positive for banned substances and a string of injuries, does Irvin still have what it takes to make it at the sharp end of the MMA world.
By Michael Pepper. (Follow me on Twitter)
Comments
