Will Brooks Ready to Shine in UFC Debut
Will Brooks Ready to Shine in UFC Debut
Former Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks is eager to make an impression in his official UFC debut.
By Tony Reid
Former Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks has been preparing his entire professional life for the opportunity to perform under the brightest lights on the biggest stage of the sport.
He will only have to wait a few short days to get his wish and showcase his skills as he is set to face UFC veteran Ross Pearson Friday Night on the main card at The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I am a champion caliber fighter," Brooks said. "I think fans and media alike have recognized that over my career. I wanted to come in and fight against a top ten guy but this is the opportunity that presented itself. I have been off about seven months. I am a competitor at the end of the day. This is my job. When the opportunity presented itself it was like ‘let’s go to work.’”
Not only will Brooks be jumping headfirst into the deep end of the UFC lightweight division, he will be doing so during arguably the biggest and most impactful fight week in the history of Mixed Martial Arts. The all-encompassing UFC International Fight Week consists of The UFC Fan Expo, UFC Fight Night “Dos Anjos vs. Alvarez”, The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale and of course, the landmark UFC 200 event Saturday night.
All the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the week might overwhelm a first time UFC competitor, but all of the craziness is just fine by Brooks. The born entertainer welcomes all the attention with open arms.
“I love this stuff," Brooks said. "A lot of guys are too humble sometimes. We get into this sport because we want to be professional athletes. We want to have cameras in our faces. We want the attention. I am willing to admit that I want all of this. I want the media in my face. I want the attention. I believe I have earned that and I will continue to earn it in the future.”
There is a certain current UFC champion that Brooks mentions by name and shows ultimate respect to when the topic of self-promotion in the world of MMA is covered.
“A lot of guys complain about Conor McGregor and the attention and treatment he gets.” Brooks said. “The only reason they are complaining is that they want the attention but they don’t want to do what it takes to get it. That’s what you have to do in this or any sport. I am excited about it.”
Some eyebrows were raised recently when upcoming opponent Pearson stated that he is not impressed in the least with the former Bellator champion’s resume, going as far as to say Brooks is “a zero” in terms of current UFC value. As evident on his various social media accounts, Brooks is not one to shy away from sharing his thoughts on all things MMA and otherwise.
And Brooks isn't about to start holding back in the lead up to the biggest fight of what is arguably the biggest fight of his career.
“Ross Pearson is a talented fighter," Brooks said. "He’s not in the top ten. He’s still a veteran of the sport. He is a tough guy. He has shown the ability to get on a nice little run and a short winning streak but he has not been consistent over his career. That does not change the fact that he is a tough out for anybody. He’s a threat.”
The UFC newbie also openly admits that the veteran Pearson will have a number of logistical advantages in the lead up to the fight.
“He knows the program there at the UFC.” Brooks said. “He will be comfortable in that environment. The MGM in Vegas is a huge venue. There will be a lot of things going on at once. He’s got a lot on the table against me in that sense.”
All the UFC super secrets and specific protocol aside, Brooks feels that he will have all the advantages he needs when it counts most.
“At the end of the day he can’t compete with my skill level and my mindset. When I show up and they close the cage door that’s a different story. Once I start thinking about that--let's skip past the UFC stuff. Let’s forget that this is a dream of mine. Let’s just focus on two guys getting in there and competing to figure out who is better than who.”
Former Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks has been preparing his entire professional life for the opportunity to perform under the brightest lights on the biggest stage of the sport.
He will only have to wait a few short days to get his wish and showcase his skills as he is set to face UFC veteran Ross Pearson Friday Night on the main card at The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I am a champion caliber fighter," Brooks said. "I think fans and media alike have recognized that over my career. I wanted to come in and fight against a top ten guy but this is the opportunity that presented itself. I have been off about seven months. I am a competitor at the end of the day. This is my job. When the opportunity presented itself it was like ‘let’s go to work.’”
Not only will Brooks be jumping headfirst into the deep end of the UFC lightweight division, he will be doing so during arguably the biggest and most impactful fight week in the history of Mixed Martial Arts. The all-encompassing UFC International Fight Week consists of The UFC Fan Expo, UFC Fight Night “Dos Anjos vs. Alvarez”, The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale and of course, the landmark UFC 200 event Saturday night.
All the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the week might overwhelm a first time UFC competitor, but all of the craziness is just fine by Brooks. The born entertainer welcomes all the attention with open arms.
“I love this stuff," Brooks said. "A lot of guys are too humble sometimes. We get into this sport because we want to be professional athletes. We want to have cameras in our faces. We want the attention. I am willing to admit that I want all of this. I want the media in my face. I want the attention. I believe I have earned that and I will continue to earn it in the future.”
There is a certain current UFC champion that Brooks mentions by name and shows ultimate respect to when the topic of self-promotion in the world of MMA is covered.
“A lot of guys complain about Conor McGregor and the attention and treatment he gets.” Brooks said. “The only reason they are complaining is that they want the attention but they don’t want to do what it takes to get it. That’s what you have to do in this or any sport. I am excited about it.”
Some eyebrows were raised recently when upcoming opponent Pearson stated that he is not impressed in the least with the former Bellator champion’s resume, going as far as to say Brooks is “a zero” in terms of current UFC value. As evident on his various social media accounts, Brooks is not one to shy away from sharing his thoughts on all things MMA and otherwise.
And Brooks isn't about to start holding back in the lead up to the biggest fight of what is arguably the biggest fight of his career.
“Ross Pearson is a talented fighter," Brooks said. "He’s not in the top ten. He’s still a veteran of the sport. He is a tough guy. He has shown the ability to get on a nice little run and a short winning streak but he has not been consistent over his career. That does not change the fact that he is a tough out for anybody. He’s a threat.”
The UFC newbie also openly admits that the veteran Pearson will have a number of logistical advantages in the lead up to the fight.
“He knows the program there at the UFC.” Brooks said. “He will be comfortable in that environment. The MGM in Vegas is a huge venue. There will be a lot of things going on at once. He’s got a lot on the table against me in that sense.”
All the UFC super secrets and specific protocol aside, Brooks feels that he will have all the advantages he needs when it counts most.
“At the end of the day he can’t compete with my skill level and my mindset. When I show up and they close the cage door that’s a different story. Once I start thinking about that--let's skip past the UFC stuff. Let’s forget that this is a dream of mine. Let’s just focus on two guys getting in there and competing to figure out who is better than who.”