Dequan Townsend: Fighting For More Than Just a Win
Dequan Townsend is set to open up the main card portion of UFC Fight Night: Holm vs Aldana this Saturday. Not only with the 32 professional fight veteran be taking on a young, undefeated fighter, but he will also be fighting in the memory of his two brothers who passed away earlier last month in August.
Earning His Way to the UFC
Seven Years. Seven long years of hard work and dedication for Townsend to get his way into the UFC. In that timespan, he earned a record of 21-8 with 17 finishes. He also won championships in three different weight classes between Warrior Xtreme CageFighting and Total Warrior Combat. After a split-decision win against Portland Pringle III in December 2018, Townsend would go on to battle Wayman Carter in March 2019 at Total Warrior Combat for the light heavyweight title. The first big interaction of the bout came with Carter threw a kick at Townsend, which was caught. After that, Townsend performed a nice trip-takedown followed up with heavy shots on top. After a brief ground battle, the two were in the process of rising to their feet with Townsend locked in a guillotine choke, rendering Carter unconscious.
Ready For First UFC Victory
It’s been a tough road through the UFC thus far for Townsend, but that does not mean he’s giving up. Far from it actually. He knows what he has to do to get his first victory on the big stage. Townsend is scheduled to face an undefeated Contender Series winner in Dusko Todorovic this Saturday on Fight Island. Townsend has nearly three times the amount of professional fights as his opponent. “Experience is definitely an important role. I don’t care that my opponent is 9-0. I look at who he’s fought and has he been challenged. How did he over come adversity? Most importantly, he hasn’t fought me! Does he know when to pick up the pace, and does he know when to slow down. This is chess not checkers,” Townsend told MyMMANews.
Fighting For More Than Just a “W”
Monday August 03, 2020, will be one of the most difficult days Townsend will ever endure. Townsend’s half-brothers, Stephen Lee Jackson and Marcus Jackson-Burton, were fatally shot on the 3400 block of Pleasant Grove Road. Not even to mention the restrictions COVID has had on fighters trying to prepare for bouts. “Michigan is still pretty much closed down. Gyms opened up 2 weeks prior to this bout after my brothers were murdered August 3rd. I buried them and I flew to denver and spent my whole camp there preparing for battle,” Townsend stated.
Just as Townsend stated, he’s preparing for a battle. “This one is the most important. I assume I’m probably a major underdog and I imagine they expect the prospect to win in a great fashion, which means all eyes are on him, If that’s the case, the big guys are watching. My back is against the wall. I need to turn some heads,” Townsend advised. There not be a better sight on Saturday than to see Townsend in the winner’s circle. This win would symbolize more than simply a win. His brothers will be proud of Townsend’s performance, regardless of win or loss.
