Todd Duffee
Former UFC heavyweight Todd Duffee (6-2) will look for his first win since 2009 when he faces former Bellator Season Three Heavyweight Tournament finalist Neil Grove (11-5-1) in the main event of the Super Fight League 2 show this coming weekend in India.
Duffee is 0-2 in his last two matches, having been off for more than a year since his last bout, a knockout loss to Alistair Overeem in December 2010 for the DREAM heavyweight title. Duffee had been scheduled to fight last July at DREAM 17 versus Nick Gaston but was forced to withdraw due to injury.
The heavyweight is currently training out of the American Kickboxing Academy gym in San Jose, California in preparation for this fight. He tells Lowkick.com he is hoping to battle three more times this year and wants to prove that he is “better in all categories” than opponent Neil Grove.
What do you know about Neil Grove as a fighter? What are your advantages in this match-up?
Neil is tough and game and he comes to fight. I feel all the advantages are mine in this match-up. I am the better athlete, boxer, kickboxer, wrestler, jiu jitsu. I feel like I am better in all categories.After losing to Mike Russow despite dominating the fight, and getting Alistair Overeem on short notice – do you think like this time you’re finally getting a proper chance to display your skills as a fighter?
I am not worried about showing off my skills I am more concerned with winning the fight and staying busy the rest of the year. Eventually people will get to see my skill set the more I fight. I feel each fight is different and I have a lot of different styles and game plans of fighting I am capable of displaying.What is the biggest difference between the 2010 version of Todd Duffee, and the one who’s going to fight Neil Grove?
I do not shave my entire body any more. I mean, I’ve got some incredible training all over the country and landed at the best team in the country. I’m sure I have made some improvements but in all honestly I do not think my skill set has been seen to begin with, so it’s hard to pin point exact things.What are your goals for 2012 as a fighter?
Win this fight and get three more in to finish out the year.
Duffee and Grove meet on April 7, 2012 at the T-Mobile Arena in Chandigarh, India.