Tim Wilde knows he has ‘a lot more to give to the MMA world’ ahead of Bellator 267
England’s Tim Wilde makes his return to the cage on Oct. 1 at Bellator 267. The lightweight assures that people have yet to see the best that he has to offer, but they will soon.
In this interview with Wilde, he details his difficult last two years dealing with injuries, where he has the edge in his matchup with Yves Landu, why he believes he has more to give to the sport and more.
Wilde hasn’t fought since Nov. of 2019 due to a knee injury and subsequent surgeries. Through the midst of adversity, the 34-year-old never wavered in his drive to compete in the sport he adores.
Tim Wilde Interview
“Obviously I know injuries like this can be career-ending,” he began, “But I believe that through discipline, self-driven motivation, and consistency that you can achieve anything. I know I’ve got a lot more to give to the MMA world and my own legacy that I’m creating. I know people haven’t seen the best of me yet. For me, giving up was never going to be the case. Whether it took one year or three years and two more surgeries, I was always gonna keep working until I was back fighting at the highest of levels.”
“My motivation is just my pure love for the sport and my love for martial arts,” Wilde replied. “Not just that, but I have a five-year-old son and I like to set a good example for him. So when he’s old enough to understand he can see how hard I’ve worked and that you only achieve things through hard work and sacrifice.”
Recovery and rehab are in Wilde’s past and now it’s time to get back in the cage. He’ll do so at Bellator 267 and his excitement is bountiful.
“Yeah I’m super excited,” he confirmed. “It’s been a long, stressful two years. Been going through this pandemic like we all have and not only that but having a serious injury tearing two ligaments in my knee. Having to rehabilitate that through COVID when gyms are short. It’s been a long journey and all of the hard work has paid off. I’m just super excited to get in there and show everyone how I’ve improved.”
Bellator 267 Matchup
“I think this is a great first matchup for my first fight back,” Wilde stated. “We’re both strikers. We’re both exciting fighters and crowd-pleasers who like to entertain. I believe I’ll have the edge on the striking. I think I’m the bigger guy and I’ll hit harder. I also believe that technically I’m better than him. I’m not underestimating him, he’s a very good striker, but I believe my striking is better than his.”
Not only is Wilde returning to the cage, but he’ll be doing so in his own backyard. Bellator 267 is set to take place at the Wembley Arena in London, England. Needless to say, that adds to Wilde’s excitement level.
“Yeah it’s good to be back here,” he said. “My last fight against Charlie Leary was here and I have to say like it’s probably one of my favorite places to fight at. I really like London and Wembley, it’s great to be in my own country. It’s only a short drive from where I live so I’m really excited. The fans here are lively so I should have a big crowd here for me Friday night, so yeah it’s exciting times for sure.”
Tim Wilde takes on Yves Landu at Bellator 267 on Oct. 1 live from the Wembley Arena in London, England. If you enjoyed this interview, make sure to check back for more exclusive conversations with the world’s greatest mixed martial artists.
