mma / News
Guilherme Vasconcelos Is Putting His Losses Behind Him
In an interview with MMA Junkie, Guilherme Vasconcelos (8-3 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) spoke about putting his losses behind him heading into his fight with John Mercurio (8-7 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) at Bellator 170. The event happens at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The main card airs on Spike following preliminary fights (including Vasconcelos vs. Mercurio) that stream on MMAjunkie.
On losing out in his first UFC stint: “What’s passed is past. They’re all learning experiences. It’s how we should look at them. We learn from losses. I don’t think it was the right time for me yet. In my loss to Luke Zachrich in the UFC, as well as my last loss (to Marcio Santos), I gave everything I had. I fought with all my heart. But I’ve learned my lessons and now is my time. It’s time to put that knowledge into practice.”
On beating Jordan Dowdy at Bellator 157: “It was a really tough fight. That guy was very strong, with wins by knockout, so the strategy was to engage him on the ground. I didn’t change anything specific in my training to be able to beat him. I’m constantly working on new skills to improve my performances. I’m always looking to be a better me. Of course, as we get close to a fight, we look at his strong and weak points, but I never focus too much on the other guy. I focus on myself.”
On fighting Mercurio: “He’s a striker, but he’s not the first one I’ve faced. He’s very aggressive. But I’m well trained. I’m working with some of the best strikers in the world like Uriah Hall and Joe Schilling. Having them as training partners also helps to boost my confidence. My strategy is to give my best whether on the feet or on the ground. I’m focused on myself. I’m looking to put on a great performance, come fight night.”