Rory MacDonald is hoping to cement his place as one of the best welterweights of all time during his PFL stint.
MacDonald signed with the PFL in December after departing Bellator following his welterweight title loss to Douglas Lima. It was an exciting new chapter for both fighter and promotion — until the COVID-19 pandemic forced the PFL to cancel its entire 2020 season.
While it’s frustrating for MacDonald who was hoping to be active this year, the time off has allowed him to improve himself and focus on the next stage of his carer.
“Of course it’s frustrating,” MacDonald told MMA Junkie. “I was really motivated to start this new chapter with a bang. C’est la vie. I’m going to use this time wisely. I’m also using it to look inward and try to improve myself.
“I’m also looking back on the past to try to right my wrongs moving forward. In a sense, it was a positive thing, because it gave me some time to reflect and dial in my focus for the next chapter of my career.”
MacDonald Wants To Show Full Potential
The former UFC welterweight title challenger and Bellator champion acknowledges he made mistakes during his twenties when it came to training as well as business decisions.
That is why he is hoping to have more success in his thirties and make it the best part of his career. His main goal? Fulfill his full potential and become one of the best welterweights of all time in the entire sport.
“I’m really focused on achieving my goal of being one of the best to ever do it,” MacDonald added. “I feel like I slipped my opportunity at being world champion with the UFC. My career kind of went like this a little bit in my twenties. My thirties, I just really want it to be an uphill trajectory. I don’t want to have big ups and downs and lose focus in some fights and be hungry in others.
“I just really want to stay hungry and get after my goal of being one of the best welterweights that (has) ever competed in this sport. That’s what I’m focused on – making a name for myself, and showing my skills and my full potential.”
Do you think MacDonald will be able to do that at PFL? Or does he need to come back to the UFC?