How streetfighting experience helped Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ESPN 15

The bases for MMA are widely understood – wrestling, boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, kickboxing, Judo, Muay Thai, and etc. However, at least since Tank Abbott, street fighting too has proved its worth. At the UFC on ESPN 15, Daniel Rodriguez, coming off come-from-behind Round 1 KO of Dwight Grant, talked about it.

I had never been in that situation during competition, but it’s interesting,” said Rodriguez. “I’m a street fighter. I’ve been in these kind of situations before where there’s more than one dude on me. And just to know that I was able to weather that storm gives me so much more confidence that I’m built for this. You never know what you are capable of until you are put in a situation. Now I know what I’m truly made of.

I knew he had power, I didn’t expect to get hit with it so early. I kind of expected I might get hit eventually, because he had these wild, loopy punches. He caught me and I had never been in that situation before, ever – especially when he pounced on me. Fortunately, I was able to regain my composure quickly, block all his punches and make my way back up to the cage. It wasn’t easy, but as soon as we got back up, I landed a short check hook and I saw him go down. I gained all my composure back right there and it was my game from there.

I want to just keep on fighting. I had to get some stitches on my toes, so that might take I don’t know how long. It’s right under my toe, so to be able to run and do certain things might be a challenge. I might have to take a little bit of time off. Other than that, I hope to get another fight sometime this year and just finish out the year strong and keep moving up the ranks, moving up that ladder. I just want to fight – it’s all I have ever wanted to do.