Robert on his MMA debut. Photo: Arnold Lim.
After trying out amateur MMA and making a successful professional debut, Robert Drysdale now has a date and opponent for his next outing in the cage: he will face Clay Davidson on November 6 at Armagedon Fighting Championship in Canada.
Now preparing for this next challenge, the fighter tells GRACIEMAG.com what the transition from Jiu-Jitsu to MMA has been like for him:
“They’re different sports, MMA’s a different style. I was always concerned with having enough time to prepare for MMA. I never want to be like some renowned black belts, who go in unprepared, lose, and then never want to fight again. I want to be like Demian Maia, someone who took his time to prepare and is now doing well in the sport,” he remarks. “Jiu-Jitsu for MMA is different and I took a while to adapt it. I used not to be prepared to pass if the guy would trap my leg in the half-guard. Now I don’t mind. I just stay there on top, hitting him. I’m concerned with hitting until I finish. I want to right angle to hit and come up with submissions”.
Robert finishes on debut. Photo: Arnold Lim.
On his opponent, Clay Davidson, Robert didn’t come up with much information, but is counting on some good spies of his.
“I don’t know much about my opponent. He lost his first fight, but won his last six. He’s been on a winning streak and, most of the time, by submission. So I don’t believe he’s a knockout artist. I only found one of his fights on the internet, so I couldn’t find out much. But I’m training with some guys who’ve trained with him before and they say he’s tough, he’s no pushover. He’s coming in to win,” states Drysdale, who already notes the evolution of the game:
“I’m well prepared, feeling good and training a lot. For me every fight, regardless of the opponent or event, is like a title fight. I’m much more confident in my boxing, muay thai and even takedowns. I feel I’ll have the advantage wherever the fight plays out.”
Besides being a fighter, Robert now performs the role of trainer, as well. The black belt helped Frank Mir prepare for his last battle, at UFC 119, when he knocked out Mirko Crop Cop.
“We expected to win. The fight didn’t go the way we’d planned, but the important thing is that he won. It’s not every day that a Jiu-Jitsu black belt knocks out Cro Cop. It was really cool going through the training, and rarely has Frank prepared so much. He would have faced Minotauro and was raring to go. I feel the change of opponent was even dangerous for Frank. Now we’ll see what happens next. I know it’s going to be a tough guy, maybe Minotauro, who is recovering,” he says in closing.