Darren Elkins has always been the type who never shied away from the grind, but last month at UFC 209 the Indiana native was the walking definition of resilience.

After being on the receiving end of a brutal 10 minutes where an onslaught from Mirsad Bektic left him bloodied and battered, the Team Alpha Male fighter dug down to his deepest reserves. It just so happens what Elkins had to offer in the grit department was more than the normal human being has to give, which made his comeback victory in Las Vegas an awe-inspiring performance.

“That fight really tested my will.” Elkins told FloCombat. “I know the third round is always my round. I was definitely taking a beating in the first round. The second round wasn’t quite as bad but I still lost it. I had to dig deep. I overcame all obstacles. I was proud of myself.”

The a common saying in the fight game revolves around how easy it is to be the hammer, but the truth of will comes when said fighter is the nail. For Elkins, those first two rounds came at varying degrees, but for the large majority of those opening 10 minutes he found himself at the end of Bektic’s shots.

The end result was a crimson mask and hovering doubt the cageside official would allow the bout to continue. Those realities would be enough to rattle or break most competitors, but Elkins kept his mindset strong.

He knew if he kept calm and weathered everything the American Top Team standout had to offer his time to flip the switch would eventually materialize. And that’s precisely how things played out as Elkins scored a TKO finish late in the final frame.

“I didn’t let myself go to that place.” Elkins said. “The only concern I had was going back to my corner and seeing how bad the cut was. I am laying on the canvas and he is elbowing me in half guard. I had blood all over my face. I could see it all over the mat. I wasn’t sure how bad the cut was. Going back to the corner I knew they were going to bring the doctor in to check it and tell me if I could continue. I was hoping for the best.”

Once Bektic crumpled and the referee stepped in to officially stop the bout, that is the precise moment when the raging emotions were released. The crowd at T-Mobile Arena roared, social media went berserk and Elkins let what remaining energy he had left inside out for all to see.

“I knew I had it in me but I didn’t want to have to display it like that.” Elkins said. “If I have to I will. When you put everything on the line. You do all the training and then that happens, I knew I was way down on the cards, I knew I had to finish. Then he fell. All the emotion just hit me and I lost control of myself.”

The victory over Bektic made it four straight wins for Elkins in a heated featherweight division. And while he’s healed up and now waiting for what comes next, the 32-year-old can guarantee whatever comes his way will get his best. Elkins has been competing long enough and been in enough wars where any potential opponents out there know they are going to get one hell of a scrap if they sign the contract to fight him.

And as a true fighter through and through, that type of respect is all one could ever hope for.

“The chin has been tested over and over and always holds up.” Elkins said. “I have been blessed with that thank goodness. My determination and will is always there. I am always ready to do whatever it takes to win.”