UFC Vancouver: Drew Dober full post-fight interview
UFC Fight Night 262 winner Kyle Nelson talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight after his unanimous decision victory over Matt Frevola.
VANCOUVER – “I haven’t been able to talk to you guys for two years,” Drew Dober said with a smile seconds after he sat at the dais Saturday backstage at Rogers Arena. “This is a beautiful, beautiful moment.”
At UFC Fight Night 262, Dober (28-15 MMA, 14-11 UFC) did something he hadn’t done in two years. He won a fight. His third-round TKO of Kyle Prepolec was a big moment for the lightweight fan-favorite, particularly considering hardships he went through during preparation for the bout.
“Three losses definitely hurts,” Dober said. “I’ve never been in this period of my life. You get a lot of questions about retirement. In camp, unfortunately, I lost my (unborn) child. We’ve been dealing with a lot, and a lot of pressure. It just forced me to think about what I care about, why do I do this, and what’s been going wrong.”
With deep soul searching in the midst of adversity, Dober said he identified the issue and made the appropriate changes.
“I started taking myself a little too seriously,” Dober said. “I don’t know if it was the knockout record or just being a family man or just being paid more. Who knows? But I had to remind myself why I started and what kept me going. I was living in my car trying to be a fighter, trying to make it to the UFC. There was a certain attitude of, ‘I don’t care what happens. Just let me enjoy this.’ We had to get rid of all the expectation and taking myself too seriously. So now in this fight, I got to fight like it could be my last. You just enjoy it. I had a great dance partner in Kyle. Man, I absolutely loved every moment I was in there. It just unfortunately took me to the third round to find the dog. We’re going to bring it in a little sooner next time.”
The record Dober broke Saturday was divisional. He surpassed Dustin Poirier for the most knockouts/TKOs in promotion history (10). Considering the lightweight division has seen so many great and exciting fighters throughout the years, Dober is certainly proud of the accomplishment.
“Dustin Poirier is finally retired, so I don’t have to race him anymore,” Dober laughed. It’s a special moment. Most knockouts in the lightweight division, that record is intense. The lightweight division, I think, is by far the most exciting division to ever exist.
“I remember when I was 17 years old, somebody told me I should fight in the featherweight division because I’m not big enough to fight as a lightweight. I cried, because the lightweight division is the best. That’s where I want to do my work. So now holding that record of the most knockouts in the lightweight division is a badge that I’m going to carry until I’m in the grave.”
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