It seems like Joe Lauzon has been around forever.
He's kind of like the fifth-year senior point guard with a kid on the way now working toward his master's degree. That's the way it feels, anyway.
In reality, the Massachusetts native is just 27 years old despite what will be his 10th UFC fight, which takes place tonight at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh.
Curt Warburton (7-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has been tabbed the latest opponent for Lauzon (19-6 MMA, 6-3 UFC). The preliminary-card fight streams live on the Facebook prior to the night's Versus-televised main card.
"I think I am getting into my prime," Lauzon recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I definitely don't think I've passed it. With every fight and every camp, I've gotten dramatically better.
"I haven't won every single fight, but I definitely feel I'm better with every fight. I don't feel like I'm past my prime or anything like that. I don't see myself as some washed-up, over-the-hill fighter at all. I'm just getting into it."
Lauzon has a lot left to offer, but there is no denying he's at a bit of a crossroads. He's lost two of his past three fights, including his most recent, a submission defeat to George Sotiropoulos at UFC 123 this past November.
As a result, he has been relegated back to the un-television section of the card.
"I'm a huge tech head, so I really don't even care," Lauzon said. "I'm perfectly fine with my fights being streamed on Facebook. I think it's awesome. I lost my last fight. That's why I'm not being shown on the Versus card, so I'm OK with it. If I had won, I'm sure my fight would have made the air, but I didn't, so back down I go."
Frankly, he's in good company on the preliminary card. He's shoulder-to-shoulder with two former title challengers in Joe Stevenson and Manny Gamburyan, as well as notables Nik Lentz, Tyson Griffin and Charles Oliveira.
But there's no getting around the fact that two losses in a row (and three in his past four) potentially could leave Lauzon on shaky ground.
Card space is at a premium, and the margin for error is closing. You never know what the UFC will do.
For every fighter currently under contract with the promotion, there are droves of others on the regional circuit fighting to ascend and take their jobs. It also doesn't help that the 155-pound Lauzon competes in what is arguably the deepest division.
There's pressure from all angles, and he feels it to a certain degree.
"A little bit," Lauzon said. "I think it's only natural as the pay and the money has gone up. I think before, a lot of guys were fighting because they liked it, and they made some money at it, but there wasn't really major money involved. Now they pay decent, and you have more and more people trying to get a piece."
The good news is he can change his current trajectory instantaneously with a win over Warburton. His hand being raised would go a long way in reestablishing his standing both in the division and with his employer.
The ball is in his court, so maybe it's time to embrace that fifth-year-senior persona, after all.
For more on UFC on Versus 4 , stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by Gorgeous George, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Goze. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio .
Source:
No comments:
Post a Comment