Former “The Ultimate Fighter” season 9 winner Ross ‘The Real Deal’ Pearson (12-5) is looking to drop ten-pounds for his next fight by moving down to the featherweight division.
Fighting as a lightweight in the UFC, Pearson is a respectable 4-2 in the 155 lbs division but is just 1-2 in his last three matches.
In a recent interview, Pearson talked about making the move to featherweight feeling that he’d be able to break into the top 10 easily, and earn himself a shot at the belt with a few solid victories.
“You hear Dana saying all the time that these athletes in the sport have got a small window of opportunity, and I just feel like I fit in well in the 145-pound division,” explained Pearson when we spoke last week after the former winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” finished his afternoon training session at Alliance MMA in San Diego.
“I see myself shooting straight into the top 10 — if not the top five — of the division, and pushing for a title shot right away. I feel like I’m 27 years old now, and I’m wanting big fights, big opportunities. I’m not in this sport because I just want to fight this guy, fight that guy; I want to be the best…”
“I’ve let the UFC know that I would like to fight New Year’s Eve in Vegas at 145, but as of right now, I haven’t heard anything back in terms of an opponent,” he said. “That’s when I’d be prepared and ready to go, and I’d have a full, solid camp behind me.”
“I’m not dropping down to 145 because I don’t think I can make a run at 155; I’m dropping down to ’45 because of the window of opportunity, and I think I will be faster making a run for the title at ’45.”