It’s redemption time for Brad Katona.
Katona (8-2) went 2-2 in the UFC, and 4-2 if you count his victories over now top-15 fighter Bryce Mitchell and fellow UFC fighter Kyler Phillips.
Katona, 29, won season 27 of the Ultimate Fighter (TUF), defeating Jay Cucciniello in the finale. He then went on to fight highly-touted bantamweight prospect, and now ranked, Merab Dvalishvili.
It was questionable for the UFC to let go of Katona, and he isn’t shying away from saying it.
“Your heart drops. It’s tough, it tests you. I got an unfair shake, it happens, the people who were in there that turned me down then six months later are fighting, maybe then it is a different outcome,” Katona said in an interview with MMA Empire.
“I lost to Merab, who is top 10. I lost to Hunter, I think I won that fight and got a bad shake on the judges scorecards. I can sit here and complain, but at some point you just move on, that is what I’m doing.”
Katona claims to be the same fighter that won TUF 27, the same fighter who found success in the UFC.
The only difference, a chip on the shoulder of “Superman” and looking to pay off the hard work of the last few years.
“I’ve got a chip on my shoulder. Y’all must have forgot. I’ve got almost three years of work that I get to show off. I’ve gone out of my comfort zone a number of times this year,” Katona said.
“I joined a new boxing gym next to SBG (Straight Blast Gym), walking into a boxing gym you are the former UFC fighter, no one lets you walk in their gym and beat them up. I’ve always tried to get new looks, out of the comfort zone.”
Katona signed a multi-fight deal with Brave CF and his first time stepping in the cage will be Thursday at Brave CF 50 against Borislav Nikolic (8-0).
“He can start wrapped around my neck if he wants, we can go from there,” Katona said.
“It isn’t being cocky, I know the guys I train with. If he catches me, fair play to him. If anyone in this sport can submit, fair play to you. Is this guy better than Bryce Mitchell? I’d argue no.”
