Juan Adams is making his UFC debut at UFC On Fox 31, facing Chris De La Rocha in a heavyweight division clash.
The heavyweight prospect didn’t think he would get a fight by the end of the year, until Adams got a phone call from his manager.
“I was actually really excited about the fight because this whole time, I’m like am I gonna fight before the end of the year. They’re (the UFC) are saying no, then Mick (Maynard) texted me saying ‘it looks like we’re pretty booked and you’ve only been in the company for two months, I really think there are other guys ahead of you in line.’ Then three days later, my manager Rick calls me and says ‘hey, we got you a fight.’ So that was crazy, I was just really happy to get another fight in before the end of the year. I’ll actually be able to buy some Christmas presents this year, so that’s a bonus. It was mixed (emotions) because I was really excited to have a fight, but then I was like damn, I got to stop drinking…I gotta stop partying…I gotta stop eating. So it was a mix, but I’d definitely rather have a fight than not have one,” says Adams in an exclusive interview with Fightful’s James Lynch.
Adams made his way to the UFC after competed on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series Episode 15, earning a UFC contract after defeating Shawn Teed.
Nobody has lasted a full round against Adams yet in a professional MMA bout and Adams doesn’t expect De La Rocha to last as well.
“I see it unfolding pretty much the same way as all my other fights, first round finish. If I don’t get a first round finish, I’m not worried about it. I’d love an opportunity to go more rounds, but facts are facts…no ones lasted five minutes against me. I trained to be able to go 25 minutes, I trained to be able to produce power throughout all those rounds, but I’d love the opportunity to go further. This dude has a chin, so we’ll see how it goes. We’ll test it, but at the end of the day…I just don’t know how to lose…he does. There’s a saying that’s like ‘those who can’t do…teach and those who can’t teach…coach.’ I can’t lose, so I’m gonna teach him to lose again,” says Adams.
UFC On Fox 31 takes place on Saturday, December 15 from the Wisconsin Entertainment & Sports Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with Al Iaquinta and Kevin Lee headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which airs live on Fox.
