Drew Dober admits that chasing the UFC lightweight knockout record has done him a disservice in the past, so he’s learning some important lessons from Saturday’s bout. UFC on ESPN 59 confrontation with Jean Silva.
Dober (27-13 MMA, 13-9 UFC) goes into battle with Silva (13-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) tying Dustin Poirier for the most knockout victories in division history, at nine. He had sole ownership of the record before, but he and “The Diamond” have juggled it over the years.
Given that Silva is a hard-hitting striker, there should be a chance for Dober to finish the fight on his feet. His motivation for doing this is self-interest in the purpose of victory, however, and not to regain the record for himself, because he has been down this path before with negative consequences.
“It turns out I got that puck without even thinking about it,” Dober told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. “I think the moment I started thinking about it, my performance kind of dropped. So no, I stopped thinking about it. The knockout record is great – we’re also tied for the guillotine record (at zero).
More than any record, Dober is simply grateful for the chance to compete at UFC on ESPN 59, taking place at the Ball Arena in Denver (ESPN, ESPN+). As a Colorado resident, Dober said he needed to be on this card no matter the circumstances.
Dober, 35, proved this after going through several opponent changes and wanting to stay in the lineup, even if it meant accepting a name like Silva, who is moving up from featherweight and making a quick turnaround with his UFC knockout of Charles Jourdain. . 303 on June 29th.
“I wanted to fight on July 13th in Denver, Colorado, against anyone,” Dober said. “I honestly didn’t care. The hard part is that I feel like I’m all risk and no reward right now. I have the knockout record and I’m not a ranked opponent at the moment. I understand the hesitation (of other fighters), but Jean Silva, he is a gangster and he accepted.”
For more information on the card, visit the MMA Junkie events hub to UFC on ESPN 59.
