MMAOddsBreaker’s Frank Trigg speaks with former UFC fighter Joe Stevenson, who is coming out of retirement to fight in his own promotion next month (July 30, 2016)
The former UFC lightweight title challenger has lost his last six bouts over the last six years, but he says he feels better and is training smarter than ever:
“I’m a fighter. That’s what we do. What’s the most common question we’re asked? ‘Hey, when’s your next fight?’ It wears on you and if you’re not fighting as a fighter, then you’re coaching, but at the age of 33, I had to reevaluate some things. I quit drinking four years ago. I felt great my last fight but I weighed 157 for that fight and then weighed in and fought 155. I was on antibiotics and still went five rounds and lost a split decision… It felt good, I felt alive again. I want to be able to tell people I won my last fight. I want to be able to step away a winner and I also want to be able to build my own organization. I want to showcase my fighters and the easiest way to do that is to put on a card and to fight. I’m feeling good. I’d been training wrong my whole life.”