Clay Collard aiming for “gold that money can’t buy” ahead of 2023 PFL Playoffs
For all intents and purposes, as much as PFL is home for Clay Collard, it’s his home to protect as well. A combat sports veteran who has made waves in both boxing and MMA, has really captured attention of those around the PFL throughout his tenure with the promotion, especially when facing former UFC veterans that join the PFL.
In an interview with MyMMANews.com, Collard discussed how he likes to protect his home of PFL and prove that he should be the one getting the big money from the promotion, his matchup against Shane Burgos, and what winning the lightweight title and $1 million would mean to him and his career.
After spending his own time in the UFC, Collard spent a brief period of his career in boxing before joining the PFL in 2021. He would make his debut against former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis who he defeated by unanimous decision. Since then, Clay Collard has gone on to defeat two other former UFC veterans who were high-profile signings by the PFL in Jeremy Stephens and Stevie Ray. As Collard would proclaim, the PFL is home and he wants to send a message that he should be the one getting the high-profiled money.
CLIP: Clay Collard (@CCCcollard) talks about @PFLMMA being his home and how he will continue to beat former UFC veterans joining the PFL. #PFLPlayoffs
Full interview: https://t.co/kAur2xenZT pic.twitter.com/wO3UfYbU5t
— Mike Pendleton (@MP2310) August 21, 2023
“PFL is my house man and they keep signing these guys and bringing them over. I’m not exactly sure how much they’re paying him [Shane Burgos] but it’s probably more than me. I would just wanna establish myself even further, that I’m the man in PFL, I’m the man to beat, and I’m the entertaining buy. I’m the one they should be tagging that money to my name instead of signing all these big names. I’m the big name. I beat Pettis, I beat Stephens, I plan on beating Burgos.”
In order to get closer to his goal of gold, Clay Collard will need to take care of business against Shane Burgos in the semi-finals, and although both men are known for scrappy wars, Collard isn’t so sure if his opponent will bring a chaotic fight based on his latest showing in the PFL cage.
CLIP: Ready for war? Clay Collard says he is prepared for Shane Burgos but unsure if there will be a war of violence between them.
Full episode: https://t.co/kAur2xeVPr #PFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/p4QQyjFZ7c
— Mike Pendleton (@MP2310) August 21, 2023
“He sat there and wrestled [in] the Yamato [fight] he took him down and he laid-and-prayed the whole time. So, as much as I’m hoping for the war, once he starts getting beat up a little bit, I see him trying to do that lay-and-pray bullshit where he just tries to make down and body, body, head. He’s doing that with Yamato when he needed points and he needed a knockout to get into the tournament from the get go. He took him down and he’s holding him down, so it’s like, you’re supposed to be ready for war, walk forward, bang let’s go, and he’s just wrestling.”
Looking to implement his gameplan and not only defeat Burgos but punch his ticket to the PFL Championship, Clay collard has maintained that the only thing he’s focused on is obtaining gold that money can’t buy.
CLIP: After being close in the past, Clay Collard (@CCCcollard) opens up on what becoming @PFLMMA champion would mean to him as he pursues “gold money can’t buy”
Full Interview: https://t.co/kAur2xenZT pic.twitter.com/tzDxoVevP5
— Mike Pendleton (@MP2310) August 22, 2023
“It’s been a life dream of mine since I started this, dreaming of this at 12-years old to be world champion. We want that gold that money can’t buy. You want that big shiny gold money can’t buy and it’s a dream come true. I’ve had a couple years where I came real close and had controversial decisions, the main still the main thing, we’re still working towards that gold that money can’t buy. It’d mean the world.”
War or not, UFC veteran or not, Clay Collard is looking to not only stake his claim as the man of PFL, but that the only focus he has is to obtain the gold that money can’t buy.
