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Exclusive: Parker Porter ‘awestruck’ to be making Octagon debut at UFC 252
Parker Porter always knew he’d be a UFC fighter, but didn’t think he’d be making his debut next weekend.
Porter, who is 35-years-old, will be making his Octagon debut at UFC 252 against a fellow newcomer in Christopher Daukaus. It was announced just a day ago and for Porter, he was shocked when he got the call for the UFC as he expected to be competing on the Contender Series this summer.
“I was awestruck, it was 1:30 in the morning and I have a three-week-old baby and I’m not getting enough sleep as it is,” Porter said to MyMMANews. “This also happened the one morning he slept from 10:30 at night to 7:30 in the morning without making a peep but I ended up getting woken up at 1:30 in the morning by my manager anyway. I was stunned, I didn’t think I was even awake.
“I 100 percent thought it was going to be the Contender Series,” he added. “When my manager called me and said right into the UFC, I’m still in shock. I also thought if I did get straight to the UFC it would be on a Fight Night card on ESPN+ or something like that. This is a huge pay-per-view event.”
Although this is a heavyweight fight, Parker Porter admits he does have some weight to cut. But, that is nothing new for him as he normally has to cut down to the 265-pound limit.
With the fight just a week and a half away, Porter is excited that his opponent also is making his UFC debut so both will be facing the same Octagon jitters.
“I think it makes it better for both of us and more entertaining for the fans watching,” Porter explained. “It is two guys who are newcomers and going through the first-time jitters and nerves. I think it will level the playing field for both us.”
The downside of it being a UFC newcomer is the fact Parker Porter doesn’t know much about him. But, the 35-year-old expects to get his hand raised and knows Daukaus is the most dangerous in the first round.
“I don’t know much about him. I’ve watched a couple of his fights and looked at his record,” Porter said. I don’t know as much about him as I’d like. He seems to have a lot of power in that left hand and likes to throw head kicks.
“Anything can happen, especially at heavyweight as a KO can happen at any time. We will see. I think he is going to try and come out and try and finish it in the first round,” he concluded. “I’ll gladly do the same but I’m comfortable in the later rounds as well. One of my strong points is I can keep up the pace for the entire fight and pick my shots.”
