Ahead of his battle with Tyler Edwards at Valor Fights 38 on November 5 in Nashville, Tenn., LIVE on FloCombat, Georgia’s Thomas Wooley sat down with Pro MMA Now.
How did you find MMA to begin with?
I started boxing in high school outside of football season. I started with my buddy, and it just snowballed from there. I loved it from the beginning and I haven’t looked back since.
What were your first impressions of the sport?
I’ve always seen and appreciated the art in the sport. A lot of people just see it as this violent thing, but I’ve always seen the art in it. If you’re dumb, you won’t go far in this sport. You do a lot of thinking in the cage, and what stood out in the beginning was the art behind it.
Why have you been so successful so far?
I’m surrounding myself with the right people, man. Even though it’s just you and your opponent in the cage, I’m always surrounded by people who mean the world to me and want to see me succeed. We’re going to all get to the top together.
How are you feeling going into this upcoming fight?
This is the biggest fight of my career, but I’ve never been so calm and ready to fight. I couldn’t ask for a better training camp; my teammates and coaches have been awesome. I feel like everyone has picked Tyler to win this fight, and I can’t wait to rain on everybody’s parade.
What will this win mean for your career?
Man, this is just another step. This is not the end. It’s just another step on the journey. I’m excited to be here, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. But this is just another step.