Before red-hot Canadian Matt MacGrath tries to win his ninth straight bout against Ryan Quinn at Fight Night 2 in Canada, he sat down with Pro MMA Now.
How did you find MMA to begin with?
I was still looking for a national medal in judo, so I started doing a bit of Brazilian jiu-jitsu to help my judo. They had a local card or two, and I was unimpressed by the guys going into the cage. It wasn’t after that that I started training.
Did you fall in love with the sport right away?
Oh yeah, I was a fan of the sport before then, when I was a kid. I think I watched every event up until UFC 100, and I’ve always had respect for the sport.
Why have you been so successful in MMA?
Hard work, I guess, and having an open mind. Even at my ripe old age, I’m still willing to learn and take advice. Plus I’ve always been a hard worker.
What are your expectations for this fight?
There’s no part of me that doesn’t expect to win. I’m really putting pressure on myself to finish this guy. Obviously the win is the most important thing, but I’m really excited to get this finish.
Where does a win on Fight Night put you in your career?
It just keeps the ball rolling. I’m just going to keep chipping away, and every correct move and every win keeps me going in the right direction. Eventually my luck will change and I’ll get a shot in the UFC’s Octagon.