Both Scott Hudson and D'Juan Owens are convinced they've positioned themselves for a deep run inside the XFC.
The Canadian Hudson (11-5-1) is set to clash with American Owens (18-15-1) during the opening round of the XFC lightweight tournament at XFC 43, which takes place Wednesday night in Atlanta, Ga.
After studying the rest of the lightweight bracket, Hudson, 33, feels confident he has what it takes to mount a serious charge toward the XFC lightweight title.
"I think I stack up fine with the rest of the bracket. As far as wins against experienced opponents, I'm probably up there with Holobaugh. Kenny Cross has got a lot of hype behind him; he's coming off a win on Contender Series, but he doesn't really have the pedigree of wins against experienced opponents," said Hudson in an interview with MMA Empire.
"I have a pretty good idea of who I think is going to advance, and I'm not looking past D'Juan, but I think I stack up well with everyone."
At 35 years old with 34 professional bouts behind him, Owens has experienced just about everything the cage can throw at him — from elite-level competition to the most prominent platforms available within the regional MMA circuit.
Owens says he's grown comfortable handling pressure and performing on the biggest stages, noting that those are often when he plays his best.
"Eight out of my first 10 pro fights I was fighting in the main event in someone else's backyard. I was brought in to lose and I still went 6-4. I've fought internationally six times against people that were supposed to win. But I always shine in those toughest times when my back's against the wall," said Owens in an interview with MMA Empire.
"Whenever I put myself in the best position to win, I shine. And this is that type of moment. This opportunity is huge. The tournament structure, the format, the NBC deal, the purse, it's all really motivating."
Patience paid off for Hudson
While Hudson is now locked into the lightweight bracket, he was initially approached by XFC to compete in the welterweight tournament.
When first offered the welterweight slot, Hudson requested a chance to step into the lightweight division instead, though that request was turned down at the time. Ultimately, Hudson's patience was rewarded.
"In a tournament setting where nobody has any control over the matchmaking, and you're just going to fight whoever wins, I didn't want to be fighting people I'd be giving up too much size to," said Hudson.
"A little bit after that they put up a post on Instagram saying 'who do you want to see XFC sign?' I shared that in my story, then all my followers and friends reposted and tagged me in it, and it kind of blew up, which worked because they hit me up a few days later with a spot in the 155 tournament."
Hudson's most recent title defense saw him successfully retain his BTC 165-pound title for the first time, turning back Jarel Askew via a five-round unanimous decision.
That bout marked Hudson's first career appearance in a full five-round fight, and he believes that experience translates into confidence for a faster, more sustained pace over three rounds.
"I've had a handful of five-round fights, but that was the first one that actually went the distance. It was nice to get that out of the way and know I have the stones and the gas tank to push the pace for five rounds. I also had the flu for that fight, so I can do it even on my worst day," said Hudson.
"Coming into this fight for three rounds, I'm really going to be able to keep that pedal down and put a pace on D'Juan."
Hudson has drawn interest from major promotions recently, including landing on the shortlist to replace Sergey Khandozhko against Michel Pereira at UFC Vancouver last November.
Entering this contest with four straight wins and six victories in his last seven outings, Hudson anticipates receiving a call from a bigger promotion should he emerge victorious over Owens, though he remains committed to finishing out his XFC contract.
