Joey Beltran has defined his career with a bevy of ultra exciting fights where fists fly, blood gets spilt and, generally speaking, both competitors leave the Octagon looking like they just got put through a meat grinder.
It’s a style that has defined Beltran’s career, and that’s why when he was waiting to hear about his next fight he asked about a potential matchup against Brazilian slugger Fabio Maldonado.
Maldonado is a former pro boxer whose own style mirrors Beltran’s, and the potential for a fight of the night slugfest would almost be guaranteed if the two met.
It turns out the UFC liked the idea as well, so they booked Beltran vs. Maldonado in Brazil at UFC Fight Night 29, and ‘The Mexecutioner‘ could not be happier about it.
“I imagine we’re going to meet in the center and we’re not going to stop swinging until either 15 minutes runs up or somebody gets knocked out,” Beltran said.
In the video interview (that can be seen in its entirety above), Beltran confesses that his style of fights are always entertaining, but can be somewhat dangerous to his health.
The veteran UFC fighter has seen the long-term effects of brain injuries suffered by boxers decades after they hang up their gloves, so as much as he likes exchanging huge flurries of punches with an opponent, he knows it’s time to learn some defense as well.
So, for this fight camp, Beltran switched things up a bit to help him avoid taking as much damage, while dishing out plenty of unmitigated violence on his opponent.
Think of Beltran’s new style like one of those nature videos where a predator stalks its prey quietly in the trees until there is the perfect moment to strike and get the kill. That’s how Beltran is approaching fights now, and he’s happy to unleash the first attack on Maldonado in Brazil.
“I promise you fans you can expect pure, National Geographic style violence,” Beltran said.
Check out the entire interview with Beltran above where he discusses the fight with Maldonado and his new approach to fighting.
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