Former UFC welterweight Karo “The Heat” Parisyan (19-6, 1NC) is ready to take on his first opponent since a disappointing loss to Dennis Hallman at UFC 123 last November. Parisyan had fought his way back into the UFC by winning one bout outside the promotion, but was subsequently released following the first round TKO defeat to Hallman.
Parisyan has had a history of personal issues in the past, but wants fans to know that those incidences were in the past, and he is slowly, but surely, making himself into a better fighter.
“The Heat” is set to face Canadian standout Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford this coming Thursday, May 19, at an MMA Live 1 event in London, Ontario, Canada.
Speaking to Cagepotato.com, Parisyan talked about his past, the present, and his future fight with Ford.
“I’ve been through hell and I’m still on the way back home. I hope people can understand and not judge me for the mistakes I made. I’m doing this for myself. I’m tired of worrying about this person or that person…I fought those demons and I’ve beaten them to a certain point and I’ll always have to fight them to some degree. I’m training. I feel a hundred times better. I look better. I wouldn’t have taken this fight if I didn’t think I was prepared for it. I did that in my last fight and look where it got me. I will never do that again…Ryan Ford is not an easy opponent. He’s a strong, tough guy who has been fighting for a while and has beaten some good opponents. I could have taken an easier fight, but I don’t want to take a fight with an easy opponent. He’s won championships and he’s no pushover. At the end of the day it’s business. When I walk in the cage I’m going to go after Ryan and I will do whatever I can to beat him.”
The interview with Parisyan is quite extensive, and worth reading. “The Heat” talks about those who supported him, and those who did not, during his troubled times, fighting his way back into the UFC, growing up in Armenia and seeing people burned alive inside of tires, Hallman offering him a rematch, plus a whole lot more. Just hit the link above to check out the full interview.