UFC lightweight Drew Dober looking for statement win against Manuel Torres in Mexico City
Drew Dober (27-14 1NC, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) looks to deliver a stellar win against Torres
UFC lightweight
15 wins by knockout, five via submission
10 first-round finishes
Drew Dober (27-14 1NC, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) looks to deliver a stellar win against Torres
UFC lightweight
15 wins by knockout, five via submission
10 first-round finishes
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00We're writing it, man. Here to help. Let's do this.
00:07Oh, here, Drew.
00:08So, you get the call to fight at a co-main event in Loco Torres, Mexico City.
00:13What goes through your mind, you know, first thing you get that opportunity?
00:28Actually found out I was co-main event like a week ago.
00:31So, that's very exciting.
00:34But the most exciting part was Mexico City.
00:37I finally get to fight out of my country again in Mexico with a ton of fight fans.
00:44I mean, Mexico loves their fighting.
00:47And I think they're going to fall in love with the way I fight.
00:50And I'm so excited to be here.
00:58And the matchmakers know what they're doing, right?
01:00Like, you look at Loco Torres, you look at your style,
01:02it paints for fight of the night, maybe even fight of the year.
01:05When you get that kind of booking, do you go like, oh no, like here we go again,
01:07like another war, you know?
01:09It's very physically demanding, or do you get everything you need to do a fight?
01:23like you look at Loco Torres you look at your style it paints for fight of the
01:26night maybe even fight of the year when you get that kind of booking do you go
01:29like oh no like here we go again like another war you know it's very
01:33physically demanding or do you get excited for for that kind of fight?
01:53yes it's completely understandable why we're fighting each other he's young
02:01enthusiastic he punches hard and so do I and these are the fights that I want to
02:08live for I mean these are the fights that I'm fighting for like you only
02:12fight for a short period of time in your life and you only have 15 minutes when
02:16you're in there so I wanted to make the most of every single time I'm in front
02:21of you guys and this fight is going to be quality
02:25and I don't think people realize like you've been fighting in the UFC since 2013 so like well over a decade and you've been doing this for a long time you got tons of fights
02:55I'm not calling you to retire or anything but I'm just saying you know
02:59you're probably closer to the end than the start of your career right what are
03:03some of the things that that you have to do to accomplish is there a bucket list
03:07and have you started thinking about retiring?
03:25well first off I feel like I'm aging like wine I mean I look young I feel
03:38good I have no major surgeries and my fights are looking better so I'm just
03:43gonna keep rolling on this train for as long as possible and I don't think about
03:47the end to be honest I want to fight always like you know what this is my
03:52last fight ever you know like I want to be enthusiastic and so my goals are is
03:57to have as many fights as I possibly can as many opportunities to be in front of
04:03you guys and to put in wars that people can remember for as long as I possibly
04:08can and who knows I might be one of those guys fighting in my 40s
04:22What I really want is to keep fighting as long as I can. I'm feeling good and I want to keep fighting as long as I can and put in as many fights as I possibly can.
04:32We know that we have a short period of time in our lives, only 15 minutes
04:37that you have there so I want to do as much as I possibly can, keep doing and
04:42lose as much as I possibly can and do it in front of you guys. I feel like I feel good and I'm ready for more challenges.
04:52It's been 10 years since the last time you came to Mexico City. It wasn't the best of
04:56that so you were fortunate to get a long career after that. What do you remember from that first trip 10 years ago?
05:12Oh man, it's been 10 years showing my age. What I remember of Mexico City was how
05:18much fun I had and the audience and the energy and just the country and how much
05:23they love fighting. Now my performance was absolutely awful. I threw a
05:28head kick, I slipped and I got choked out. One of the most embarrassing fights I've
05:32ever had but we learned from it and man I'm so excited to do everything better
05:39in this fight and then have more time in front of the fans.
05:48Well, I have to tell you one thing. The tremendous experience, the fiction, the energy, everything about Mexico City, I loved it.
05:56As for the fight, it wasn't one of my best. At that moment, all I remember was trying to kick him in the head,
06:02he knocked me down and strangled me right there. I mean, submission, I mean, horrible. But I'm telling you,
06:08the best part was the energy, the fiction, the way people reacted. I mean, doing it, the fiction, the energy was the best.
06:18You just came from another altitude fight. What have you learned about fighting in altitude?
06:22I mean, Denver is a lot more than Mexico City, but what have you learned about fighting in altitude?
06:38Yeah, growing up in Nebraska and fighting in Colorado, I was doing the same thing and then moving to Colorado
06:44and now fighting in Mexico City, I just keep moving up. So it's very significant and I think fighters should train for it
06:51and I trained significantly for it and so it will not be a problem.
07:14Drew, right here. Out of the three fighters we've seen today, you seem the most excited and you're the one that's not a Mexican-born fighter.
07:26What has changed in the last few years to make you enjoy the process, although like Danny pointed out, you've been in this promotion for more than 10 years?
07:44I think I've always loved fighting. I don't know where I came from or who I am, I've always really enjoyed fighting.
08:04There was a moment in my career that it felt like a job and so I gave myself permission to go back to enjoying it again.
08:12Since I started enjoying it, I started getting the knockouts and I honestly think that I've chosen the career path for myself.
08:21I get to roughhouse with my friends for a living. I don't understand why people are so mad doing this.
08:26I get to punch another man, he gets to punch me and you guys get to all enjoy it. Everything about this is so much fun and it's only going to get more entertaining on Saturday night.
08:42I get to roughhouse with my friends for a living. I get to punch another man, he gets to punch me and you guys get to all enjoy it.
08:52Everything about this is so much fun and it's only going to get more entertaining on Saturday night.
08:57I get to roughhouse with my friends for a living. Everything about this is so much fun and it's only going to get more entertaining on Saturday night.
09:02I get to roughhouse with my friends for a living. Everything about this is so much fun and it's only going to get more entertaining on Saturday night.
09:32I don't want to be the carrier of bad news, but you've lost 3 of your last 4 fights. People love your style, they like and see the level of energy you bring.
09:57People love your style, they like and see the level of energy you bring. People love your style, they like and see the level of energy you bring.
10:27I'm going to be entertaining, I'm going to have fun. The purpose is to be more fine-tuned, I'm going to be more polished and I am going to bring in more fight IQ.
10:54exactly after the last fight, what is happening and what happened is that I have been hit a lot in the last fights.
11:02Also, facing monsters, one better than the other, you have to take that into consideration.
11:07But what we are doing at work is to have more intelligence, move more, move with the head,
11:14that is, not to go all the time without defending yourself, also fight a little more, incorporate that,
11:21that is, be more intelligent in the fights and that you don't get hit that much.
11:52With the 155, a weight class that is the most exciting in the UFC, they come with everything,
11:58look at how that portrait of that category is at the moment, someone like Renato Moicano,
12:02who was simply a short notice against Islam.
12:05With all the tools and talent you have, where are you at this moment of the 155?
12:22I just love being a part of the lightweight division, it is just murderers row, every single fight.
12:29I really enjoy fighting these prospects, because they are coming in hungry, trying to prove themselves.
12:35Like I said earlier, I am here just enjoying the quality of fights when I am in there.
12:41I am not waiting for this top 5 situation to pan out, I am down here taking advantage of opportunities.
12:49And so whether it is their first fight in the UFC or a veteran like Jim Miller,
12:53I will fight anyone and I am lucky to have the opportunity to fight as often as I can.
12:59I would consider myself like a Justin Gage diet,
13:02that is, someone who is there while he is up there fighting against everyone.
13:07I am here fighting against everyone who is here, it doesn't matter what opportunity I have had.
13:12I am not waiting for this top 5 situation to materialize,
13:19I am here taking advantage of the moment and all the opportunities.
13:25It doesn't matter if it is a prospect that is coming with all that,
13:28because they come with energy, they come with a lot of hunger, but it doesn't matter,
13:31I am going to face them, that is, whether it is a veteran like Jim Miller,
13:35I am enjoying the experience and I am not going to miss the opportunity to fight and prove myself to everyone.
13:43Hi, Carlos from Superluchas.
13:45You have two consecutive defeats,
13:48that can make a fighter more impulsive to pursue victory.
13:52How have you worked that with your team for this fight?
14:12Yeah, in this situation, we were definitely focused on getting the W versus letting it all hang out.
14:25But we have worked very diligently on how I am going to win fights.
14:30And it is still going to be exciting, but now I am going to be taking less chaotic risks,
14:36I am going to be taking more methodical risks,
14:39and I am focusing on how I am going to earn a W, so that way you guys can keep on watching me.
15:10And of course, I am excited in any way.
15:13And what are the skills of your opponent that you consider more dangerous for this fight?
15:39He is young, he hits hard, he comes with everything, and that brings confidence.
15:58When you have those elements, he comes with a lot of hunger, that gives you confidence.
16:04And I can't wait to stop that confidence right now.
16:16Hello Drew, so first of all, do you feel that on Saturday you can have closure,
16:21after what you lived 10 years ago here in Mexico City?
16:24My apologies, but can you repeat it?
16:26Closure here in Mexico City.
16:29Oh, I wouldn't say closure, because it's not over.
16:33I mean, I would love to come back and do it again, you know, but it's going to be better for sure.
16:38I wouldn't say closure, because it's not over.
16:43I mean, I would love to come back and do it again, you know, but it's going to be better for sure.
16:49I wouldn't say closure, because it's not over.
16:52I mean, I would love to come back and do it again, you know, but it's going to be better for sure.
16:55And last one, what do you expect about the people cheering for your opponent?
16:59And what do you expect from the fans, I mean, everyone cheering for your opponent?
17:09I love it, I love it.
17:11I mean, he definitely deserves the respect that he has.
17:14I mean, I'm also fighting him in his home country,
17:17and so you better get loud for him.
17:19And it just kind of motivates me, because whether it's boos or cheers, it's still excitement.
17:24And this is what I love doing.
17:26I love getting everyone excited.
17:28And fighting is just, you support your athletes, and I really love how Mexico supports their athletes.
17:34And I think the United States can learn a thing or two.
17:37I love it, I love it.
17:39Because first of all, he deserves respect.
17:42He's also a tremendous fighter.
17:44And of course, you have to contribute to what's yours.
17:46You know, I don't care, I love it when it's against or in favor,
17:51because I love it when fiction does that.
17:54You have to put up with what's yours.
17:57And I think the United States can learn a lesson or two about that.
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