Outside of two tantalizing grudge matches set to command the majority of attention heading into UFC 168 next weekend in Las Vegas, the UFC’s end of the year bash has yet another scintillating matchup on deck.
Before Chris Weidman, Anderson Silva, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate step inside the Octagon, heavyweight standouts Travis Browne and Josh Barnett will do battle to separate one another in a close-knit divisional title scene.
For Browne, who has recorded sensational knockouts of Alistair Overeem and Gabriel Gonzaga over his past two outings, a victory would mean everything for his career.
But Barnett isn’t going to give up that easy. He’s one of the most game contenders in the sport today and one that always brings his best stuff on fight night.
That’s why Browne knows he’ll have to walk through fire to get the win.
“I want to be the best and fight the best,” said Browne in an interview with ESPN’s Michael Huang, originally reported by MMA Underground. “I have momentum now. To stop me, my opponent is going to have to finish me to win.”
If Browne wants to claim victory over a fighter who calls himself “The Warmaster,” he’ll need the perfect gameplan.
“I try to do different stuff for every camp,” added Browne. “Always add something you can use. Train smarter, harder.”
Before the co-main event and main event of the evening get underway, look for the very best Travis Browne we’ve ever seen.
As a towering dynamo equipped with excellent kickboxing skills, a heavy heart and an enormous threshold for pain, “Hapa” is one of the most fascinating contenders the heavyweight crop heap has seen in years.
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