Athletes
Josh Quinlan: 'Hard Times Make Good Memories'
Hoping To Bounce Back In A Big Way, Josh Quinlan Is Embracing It All Ahead Of UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira
Every UFC fighter is tough. Some, like Josh Quinlan, take it to new levels.
“I believe that tough means that you're able to put something in your mind and strive to achieve it,” he said. “Not changing your course when you hit adversity. And that's something, whether it's a fight or in life, where you're going to get pushed back. Everybody has goals and dreams, but if people change directions every time they hit a wall, then we wouldn't have the outliers. So I'm glad I'm able to resemble part of that and my coach (Michael Costa) helps me develop my mindset and the proper mindset to go in there and be ready for whatever it takes and be ready for the quick knockouts or those gritty three-round wars.”
Quinlan has seen both over the course of three UFC fights, whether it was a 2:09 knockout of Jason Witt in his 2022 debut, or a three-round loss to Trey Waters. On Saturday, he returns for the first time since a stoppage defeat at the hands of Danny Barlow to meet up with Adam Fugitt at the APEX in Las Vegas. And while Quinlan is quick to give credit to his coach for helping to develop a warrior’s mindset, frankly, that’s something a fighter has, or he doesn’t. And if you do have it, that’s got to be something nice to have in your back pocket if you need it.
WATCH: Josh Quinlan Lands An Early Left Hook KO In His UFC Debut
“There's part of me that finds a little comfort in that, but every fight is different, and every type of adversity is different,” said Quinlan. “Even this past fight camp hit some adversity, whether it's hard training partners, hard rounds, or even getting dropped with certain shots, and we don't like to shine light on those moments, but it makes us better. That adversity makes us better people. So I train to the best of my ability to put myself in the best position to be able to handle those situations. And it's a daily process. I'm learning something every week, every time I spar, and I would by lying to you if I said that every sparring session went well. I've hit some adversity. I've gotten in my own way, I've gotten frustrated, and those are emotions that we have to control in life and in the fight.”
As a work in progress, there will be setbacks such as the two Quinlan had in his last two bouts, particularly against Barlow, as the Hawaiian tried to navigate fighting a lanky foe with a seven-inch reach advantage.
“I got frustrated my last fight and I operated off of emotion and that led to some unfortunate outcomes that I had to learn from,” said Quinlan, who, at least is facing a foe with only an inch on him in height this weekend. “Those feelings are going to come, but it’s how you react to them and how you process them. A sports psychologist that I talked to said, ‘Be able to reset in the moment; don't operate in what just happened. Don't think about the future. Just reset in the moment - that's what you have control of.”
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It's times like these when you remember that Quinlan will be competing in just his 10th pro fight on Saturday, so to say that he’s learning on the job with the brightest lights in the sport shining on him is more than accurate. But tough guys find a way to manage and embrace it all.
“The hard times make the good memories.”
UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 15, 2024. See the final Prelim and Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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