Athletes
Julian Erosa's Shot At Redemption Is Here
A Big Win On A Big PPV Is Something That Julian Erosa Has Been Waiting For, And Now That He's Chance Is Here, He'll Do Anything To WIn At UFC 279: Diaz vs Ferguson.
If we’re being honest, Julian Erosa has a light Saturday planned, at least compared to what he usually cooks up on the first day of the weekend. That often includes a 14-mile run in the Las Vegas heat, so when you compare that to 15 minutes – or less – in the Octagon with Hakeem Dawodu, I know what I’d pick.
At least the fight ends quicker than that run does. And it might even be less painful.
Erosa laughs, but he is aware that most people won’t do a lot of things he will in pursuit of not only of his professional goals, but of a more fulfilling life.
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“It's a mind over matter thing, and I think in the society that we live in now, a lot of people kind of lose that, so luckily for me, what I do as a profession helps keep that with me throughout my life,” said Erosa, a firm believer that all the talent in the world won’t help you if you’re not willing to work hard and build a strong mind.
It’s why a lot of folks who get cut from the UFC never return like Erosa did. Let alone get cut twice and still get the call back. That’s the story of the Washington State native, and it gets even better, considering that in his latest stint with the promotion, he’s won four of his last five and two in a row. And while the 33-year-old’s journey has inspired those in and out of the fight business, it’s also made Erosa sit up and take notice.
“One thing I really try to do is try to be my own inspiration,” he said. “People look at other people for inspiration, they look for inspiration from songs, shows and movies. But I try to extract motivation from my own self.”
Erosa refers back to his June 2020 win over Sean Woodson, a bout in which he handed a top prospect his first loss while earning a Performance of the Night bonus in his first UFC fight in over a year. It’s a victory he calls one of the most important of his career, and he definitely took some inspiration from it.
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“It's almost like it's not me, it's somebody else,” he said. “And I'll get so much motivation off that, it's almost like I'm watching a different fighter. It's such a weird feeling.”
But an understandable one, and if we’re talking about the mental game and it’s importance, realize that this Saturday’s bout with Dawodu is Erosa’s first on a UFC numbered event since a 2016 loss to Teruto Ishihara at UFC 196. If you think that fact is lost on Erosa, think again
Highlight: Julian Erosa Locks Up A 3rd-Round Submission | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs Till
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Highlight: Julian Erosa Locks Up A 3rd-Round Submission | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs Till
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“I almost feel like it's redemption because the last time I fought on a pay-per-view card like that in a big arena, I lost that fight, so I look at this as an opportunity for me to redeem myself,” he said.
Sometimes that’s all it takes to spark the motivation that leads to another victory, and if that’s what pushes Erosa to get his hand raised, he’s fine with that. If that is the case, that’s three in a row and people are gonna start talking about “Juicy J” getting a spot in the rankings or, at the very least, a Top 15 opponent the next time out. It’s almost like a fresh start for someone who was written off a few years ago, but he doesn’t see it that way.
“I think it's a continuation,” Erosa said. “Just keep putting one foot in front of the next and just keep working and it will come - things will happen. It was an accumulation of the experience and the time and the energy I put into it. That's never faded. It's always been there and it's something I rely on.”
And when the Octagon door shuts, he keeps it simple.
“That's the thing about fighting - there's only two people in there and there's only one winner.”
UFC 279: Diaz vs Ferguson took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 10, 2022. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
