Rick Story knows the value of wins and losses within the UFC’s Octagon. On Wednesday, the fighter known as “The Horror” will step into the cage for fight No. 16. He’s an athlete that’s put together a string of impressive performances but has recently looked very subpar.
Coming into his fight with Leonardo Mafra Teixeira, it’s imperative the one-time welterweight contender puts on a display that leaves the fans and UFC matchmakers clamoring to see more of “The Horror” in action.
Story will walk into the Octagon with a 9-5 record that dates back to his promotional debut at UFC 99 in 2009. He bounced back from a decision loss to John Hathaway to go on a run that quickly grabbed the attention of the mixed martial arts community. Two years later, Story’s six-fight win streak had him on the cusp of a title eliminator contest.
That would be until Charlie Brenneman stepped into the picture and pulled out what could have been the upset of 2011 on extreme short notice. That night was a major turning point in Story’s career, as he’d struggled to gain any traction within the welterweight division.
In the years that have followed his defeat at UFC Life 4, Story has exchanged wins for losses. In each outing, it’s very difficult to predict exactly which Rick Story is going to show up. Three of the four losses that he’s suffered were split decisions in which he performed well, but not good enough to get the nod at the end of the night. What’s interesting is that Story has shown flashes of greatness in competition.
Current UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks is well aware of what Rick can do, as he’s one of only two UFC fighters to defeat the titleholder. This coming fight against Teixeira is vital to Story’s career because anything less can see him jettisoned from the organization.
“He may be in need of a win in the worst way,” wrote Michael Drahota of MMA Mania. “The talent is there; he just has to put forth a decisive performance in the Octagon.”
The 170-pound division is wide open for Story to put together a run that can relaunch his career. As Hendricks sits on the shelf, the UFC is still unsure of how the group of contenders will shake out. Robbie Lawler versus Matt Brown at UFC on Fox 12 is a No. 1 contender’s bout, but after that, the division is wide open. If Story puts on an impressive win this Wednesday, he can start the hype train running in the right direction.
Rick Story is pressed to put together a run at UFC Fight Night. He was once known as a capable contender within the welterweight division, but his recent slump can see him sent from the promotion with another loss. He will need a strong performance to bring an end to the horror that has seen him consistently trade wins and losses.
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