“Everything you mentioned is a part of it, and I was afraid of losing my job and my debut at the same time,” he said, voicing a worry that not many athletes are comfortable admitting, but is certainly something that runs through the mind of every aspiring competitor when they first touch down in the UFC.
So many hours have been committed to reaching this stage, getting to a point where you get to make the walk to the Octagon, so it only makes sense that there is a tinge of worry about getting to stick around for more than a fight or two that can creep into a fighter’s mind in those early days on the roster.
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“Now that I won the first fight, I accomplished my dream,” continued Grad, who pushed his winning streak to four and his record to 15-2 overall with his stoppage win over Alexander. “My dream was to get into the UFC, get a win there, and I accomplished that, so now everything is a bonus.
“Of course, I want to get to the top, I want to be champion at featherweight, but my dream is fulfilled,” he added. “Now I don’t have any pressure on my shoulders; I am so loose, so relaxed, and I think this is gonna let me perform at my fullest… or at least better than last time.”