MMAnytt.se har träffat den isländske MMA-stjärnan och pratat om den kommande matchen mot Demian Maia vid UfC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor den 12 december.
Gunnar Nelsons (14-1 MMA) 13 matcher långa win streak fick ett något oväntat slut vid mötet med Rick Story vid UFC Fight Night 53: Nelson vs. Story den 4 oktober 2014, där Nelson fick se sig besegrad via split decision efter fem ronder. Den rutinerade Story vann slagväxlingen med hela 168-53 (Källa FightMetric) och visade att det fanns dittils oupptäckta hål i Nelsons game.
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Nelson säger till MMAmania att förlusten mot Story blev en väckarklocka för honom:
”There was a lot of things I was able to learn from the fight against Rick Story,” berättar Nelson. ”Win or lose, that fight … I don’t think it would’ve mattered too much to me. It might’ve mattered for my career, but there’s a lot to take from it. I feel very confident now. I feel like I’m awake. The fight with Story woke me up.”
Något som Nelson också visade i matchen mot Brandon Thatch vid UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor den 11 juli 2015, då han lyckades submitta Thatch med en rear-naked choke två minuter och 54 sekunder in i den första ronden.
Nelson ställs nu inför den kanske viktigaste och tuffaste matchen hittils i karriären, då han möter det 38 år gamla grapplingesset Demian Maia (21-6 MMA). Maia, som efter att bland annat har fightats om bältet mot Anderson Silva i mellanviktsklassen, har under den senare delen av sin karriär valt att gå ner till veltervikt. Maia vann sin senaste match mot Neil Magny i deras möte vid UFC 190: Rousey vs. Correia den 1 Augusti 2015 via rear-naked choke, två minuter och 52 sekunder in i den andra ronden, något som också är Magnys enda förlust på hans tio senaste matcher i UFC.
MMAnytts Sebastian Vendel-Martinez träffade nyligen den isländske MMA-stjärnan i Dublin, Irland, och pratade om den kommande matchen mot Demian Maia:
MMAnytt.se: This is a fight that has been in the making for such a long time. Why do you think people are so interested in seeing you fight Demian Maia?
Gunnar Nelson: I think it’s like a grapplers dream to see two world class grapplers go at it, he is probably the most decorated jiu jitsu-player in MMA today, and most of my fights have been first time submissions, so I think this is something that people want to see, how a good grappler does with another good grappler.
MMAnytt.se: A lot of people see this as a chance to prove yourself as a grappler.
Nelson: It’s a MMA-match it’s not a jiu jitsu match, when it comes to the grappling in MMA it’s a different kind of game than in jiu jitsu, that’s something I feel that I have always showcased, my grappling has always been for MMA.
MMAnytt.se: If we look on the other side of the spectrum, standup, you with your karate style have a lot of standing techniques that people are not used to. Do you think the standing aspect will be a big difference as well?
Gunnar Nelson: I believe I have a pretty unique style on the feet, I think my speed is going to be a big difference in this fight against Demian. He is tough and he has done well against good strikers in the past but I believe in myself and I think I am going to do pretty well. I train with the best in the world, and I know what I am capable of, my standup is becoming a bigger part of my game than it was before.
MMAnytt.se: In training, is there any one aspect you feel is most important for you to develop?
Nelson: I like to work on my weaknesses, not talk about them.
MMAnytt.se: Your bout with Demian Maia, in an ideal world, what happens and how do you get your hand raised?
Nelson: I am going to go in there and take whatever. I always aim for the finish, it won’t be any different this time, I simply believe that I will get him.
Vad tror ni läsare, vem kommer att vinna mellan Nelson och Maia i deras möte vid UFC 194?
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