The countdown has begun for mixed martial arts enthusiasts across southern Alberta!
Unified MMA 47 takes over Calgary, Alta.'s Genesis Centre this Friday evening, marking the beginning of what promises to be the most action-packed month in the organization's history. Calgary-based Tom O'Connor (10-2) welcomes California's Devon Brock (10-5) north of the border for the lightweight co-main event.
"He brings a lot to the table and presents a lot of danger, and that's what I love about this matchup," O'Connor told MMA Empire.
"I want to continue to level up. I'm excited to put on a show."
After collecting victories in six of his last seven outings, Brock enters the cage hoping to string together four straight wins on Friday night.
O'Connor, now 30, acknowledges the abilities behind his opponent's impressive recent run.
"It's an exciting fight. He's a really good athlete, he has good striking, good hand speed and power, so it presents a lot of cool problems that way," O'Connor said.
"I'm sure he's working on a lot of things to go against me in that anti-grappling space, but, in general, he does have good defensive grappling so he can keep the fight on the feet. I don't think he's ever faced someone like me, though, who can present such a well-rounded game and, on top of it, a vicious pace."
Although most of his career stoppages have come on the ground, O'Connor says his standup has improved significantly. His most recent outing saw him secure a dominant submission decision at featherweight against a dangerous striker at Unified MMA 44.
"It was really good learning from the energy John (Nguyen) gave off," O'Connor said.
"He has some very good striker energy. He has those fast twitch muscle fibres that fire his strikes at a very quick rate, so it was good to be in there and feel that and trust in my own striking and let it go. I've never put myself in a box. I might tend to lean on grappling, but I just love working and putting on a pace they can't keep up with, whether it's striking or taking them down."
O'Connor had originally planned to face Canadian MMA icon Tim Smith in September before weight-cutting complications forced him to withdraw from the bout.
"Yeah, I won't be going lower than lightweight for the time being for sure, or until I learn, on a deeper level, what the cutting really is," O'Connor said.
"MMA is a constant learning process in general, but when you add in the weight cutting and mastering it, it's a lot. Knowing how to do it the right way is important. I've been working with professionals to learn more; it's been a big help. I don't know what the future holds. I love fighting at 155, so we'll see. My body feels good, I feel really strong. I have a good mindset going into the weight cut, so I'm excited."
Throughout his 12-fight professional journey across North America, O'Connor has consistently thrived in front of hometown supporters. This Friday, he plans to draw energy from the home crowd to deliver a memorable performance for friends and family.
"The energy of the crowd, in general, is something I've always loved about fighting and performing. So whether I'm the underdog on the road or I'm at home, I feed off the crowd," O'Connor said.
"You can't beat a hometown crowd, though. I'm looking to put on a show for them and make it exciting. I want to welcome him to Canada and have fun doing it."
Each of O'Connor's last five victories has come inside the distance, and he intends to extend that streak Friday night.
"I want to come out right off the bat and be looking for the finish from the start, but as the predator hunting his prey I know I gotta wait for the right moment to pounce," O'Connor explained.
"I'm not going to rush to finish things, but from start to finish I'm looking for the kill. I'm going to constantly increase the pace and my work rate and he's going to have to keep up or finish me."
O'Connor's shoutouts
"Progressive Fighting Academy, all my coaches and training partners, CMC MMA in Lethbridge, Dynamic MMA in Calgary and also, as always, Anderson Goncalves Jiu-Jitsu. My sponsors: BAIN Store, Clever App and Frontline Towing and Recovery Ltd." Follow O'Connor on social media: FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM
