Erik Koch Wasn’t Worried About Cage Rust Before UFC Fight Night 88

In an interview with MMA Junkie, Erik Koch (15-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC)) said he wasn’t worried about a two-year layoff giving him rust before his UFC Fight Night 88 bout with Shane Campbell (12-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC). He won the fight by submission. Here are highlights:

On if he was worried about rust: “I’ve been fighting since I was 16 years old. I’ve been doing combat sports since I was 4. I’m not gonna have ring rust. Either it’s two, three, four years off. This is my life. This is what I’ve always done. Ring rust was never an issue for me. It was just getting here. There was no doubt in my mind. A lot of people thought I was gonna have ring rust, because I was two years off and I was an underdog. Nah. I changed my nickname to ‘The Phoenix.’ I’m still Erik, but I’m a completely different person.”

On how he’s better now: “I don’t think it’s so much physically, it’s mentally. I put everything together. My mindset, it can’t be broken. I’ve changed my diet. When I used to fight at 145, I glorified getting really heavy in between fights. But it’s a lifestyle. Now I’m not dieting when I get a fight. I’m always ready to go. And you can see it in my body. Physically, I’m a lot stronger.”

On being back: “It was a dream come true, even when I got to the office to sign posters. Usually people hate signing posters, while I’m like, ’Yes, give me as many posters as you can, I’ll sign all of them!’ It’s been such a rough road. There’s been a lot of downs. But that’s why I love this game, because the ups are up. I’m on Cloud Nine right now.”