James Vick says he’s mentally stronger than his fellow competitors in the UFC’s 155-pound division.
Vick will main event tomorrow night’s (Sat. August 25, 2018) UFC Lincoln event opposite Justin Gaethje. Speaking to MMA Junkie ahead of the bout, Vick noted that it’s near impossible to get inside his head before a big fight.
He credits his tough road to the UFC for this. Vick said he survived a “horrible” contract from The Ultimate Fighter, two major surgeries and a full-time job he worked while juggling a fight career in the UFC:
“Some of these guys have never had a job in their whole life,” Vick said. “So I feel like I’ve had the hard road. But I also feel that’s why I’m mentally stronger than all these guys.”
Vick expects Gaethje to utilize his usual pressure approach when they share the Octagon. The Texan believes he’ll catch the former World Series Of Fighting (WSOF) champ coming in and flatline him:
“The way he fights and the way I fight, (Gaethje) is not going to accept being on the outside and losing a point battle,” Vick said.
“He’d rather get knocked out. So he will come in, and he’s going to get caught with something. He’s going to run into something closing that distance.”
Ready For A Slugfest
Gaethje is one of the most relentless competitors mixed martial arts (MMA) has ever seen. Regardless of how tired and/or beaten he is, he continues to press forward with power punches.
Vick knows Gaethje has the ability to drag him into deep waters in a dogfight, but claims he has the stamina to do exactly that:
“I’m aware of what he does, and I’d be stupid to not address his leg kicks and the pace that he comes with,” Vick said.
“But I’ve never had a problem in any fight with cardio. No one’s ever gassed me out. That’s where he’s messing up. He thinks I’m not mentally prepared.
“Either two things are going to happen. Either he’s going to get knocked out real quick, or we’re going to go to war. But in my mind, I’m way mentally stronger than he is.
“I just don’t have to fight like that. So come fourth or fifth round, if I’m losing on those cards, you’re going to see who’s going to bite down on that mouthpiece and who’s the dog.”
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