Mason Fowler sounds pretty relaxed for a guy about to run it back with Nicky Rod.
The UFC BJJ light heavyweight champion faces Rodriguez on September 24, and he likes his chances. Yes, Nicky won their first meeting. But Fowler believes three five-minute rounds and a 205-pound limit make this a different match.
His take? He controlled most of their first 15-minute meeting before things got away from him late. Break that performance into rounds, he says, and the score looks different. He also expects the weight cut to be easier on him.
That's his read, anyway. Now he gets to test it.
Why 3 Rounds at 205 Changes Everything
Fowler is coming off a quick submission of Devonte Johnson, a match he'd expected to be a long night. The finish was good for his confidence. The submission incentive didn't hurt either.
“It was very good for my pockets that I got that submission.”
Fair enough.
What's funny is that he keeps thinking he's about done. Nearly every camp, Fowler tells himself he'll retire afterward. Then he doesn't.
“I feel like I'm on bonus time right now.”
The original plan was to win enough to build a name and open a school. He's already gone well beyond that. These days, he says, he gets to compete without all that extra pressure.
"I'm Retiring After This Camp"... Until I Don't
Relaxed doesn't mean he's winging it. Fowler and Caio Terra have studied the first match, worked on the mistakes and drilled the positions they expect to see again.
He gives Nicky plenty of credit for being tough to score on and fighting through everything. He just believes he has more ways to finish.
“I gotta take what he gives me.”
When we asked what he wanted people to say after this one, the answer was simple.
“I just think I've been underrated my whole career.”
A dominant win over Nicky Rod, he believes, would make that a harder argument to have.
"Underrated My Whole Career": Proving It vs Nicky Rod
For someone who keeps talking about retirement, that's a pretty good reason to stick around for one more.