Over the course of his career, Louie Sanoudakis has consistently sought out difficult matchups.
Friday night's card brings no exception, with the Canadian fighter Sanoudakis (8-2) going head-to-head against American Cody Gibson (16-7) in a bantamweight matchup at XMMA 2 in Greenville, S.C.
Even though Sanoudakis recently suffered his first defeat since 2016, he remains on several people's radar for a spot on the Contender Series or in a bigger promotion. Despite entering the fight off a loss, with time away from competition, and with everyone watching closely, the Canadian refuses to acknowledge any external pressure.
"I'm sure people are putting pressure on me," Sanoudakis told MMA Empire in an interview.
"I don't feel it, they can do as they want but I don't feel any of it. I am ready for Gibson, and I won't chase a finish or highlight reel because of pressure. I chase for the win, nothing else is important. I finish when given the chance, but I don't chase it."
Gibson, now sitting at 4-1 since leaving the UFC, spoke highly of the Canadian prospect for stepping up to accept a fight many fighters had declined.
At 32, Sanoudakis continues to embrace challenges regardless of his opponent's background. It doesn't matter if they've competed in the UFC—he wants the hard fights.
"I've fought really tough opponents; a measurement of how good you are isn't only for those in the UFC," Sanoudakis noted.
"I've fought all over the world; he is very good and a skilled opponent. Doesn't matter whether he's been in the UFC or not, he is a rugged and challenging opponent. I didn't take this because of ex-UFC, I took this because it is an opportunity."
The last time Sanoudakis stepped inside the octagon was November 2019, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Stephen Loman for the Brave CF bantamweight championship.
Even with that extended break from competition, Sanoudakis shows no worries about ring rust and believes he'll arrive at the event fully prepared.
"I like fight week, it's fun," Sanoudakis added.
"I'm not sure if I've had this long a layoff before. Ring rust is real if you believe it. Look at (TJ) Dillashaw, after being off two years, a monster performance. How much thought you put into it, I'm not thinking about it, for either of us."
When it comes to getting ready for Gibson, expectations vary widely since the American hasn't fought since late 2018.
"He has grit and loads of experience. I'll take it as it comes, I don't know what to expect, I'm just ready for it all," Sanoudakis said.
"My expectations for him is he will be willing to fight and will have a lot of heart. He could be a completely new fighter since his last fight, I am ready to find out in the cage."
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