Nate Marquardt Confident Regarding His UFC Return Against Jake Ellenberger at UFC 158
Posted by Jeffrey Harris on 03.13.2013
Marquardt finally back in the UFC...
This week, returning UFC fighter Nate Marquardt talked about his fight with Jake Ellenberger at UFC 158 this weekend and his future plans in the UFC. Here are some highlights:
Marquardt on his goal to win the UFC title: "I love Georges, and I know he's going to do great. This is our business. My goal is to win the title; it's not to fight Georges. I don't know that it necessarily has to happen that way."
Marquardt on where he fits in the division now: "Honestly, right now I'm focused on Ellenberger. All that other stuff like where I fit in a division and all that, I'm not looking at that. I don't really care. I know I'm a great fighter, and I just want to go out and prove that...I don't really care where I stand; I'm not concerned with that. I'm just concerned with being ready for this fight and making sure my mind is right. I know what I have. I know what I bring to the table. I have a lot of tools, a lot of gifts. I'm confident. I respect all of my opponents, but I'm confident going into this fight."
On losing the Strikeforce welterweight title to Tarec Saffiedine: "It forced me to look at every little thing I was doing wrong. I found a lot more things than I would have if I would have won that fight."
Marquardt on stepping in to fight Ellenberger after the card had to be re-shuffled due to MacDonald's injury: "I felt like it was my time. It was the perfect opportunity, and I had to act when I could. I also feel like this is how it was supposed to happen. I feel like I've grown so much as a fighter in the last couple years as a person, and I think this is how it was supposed to be."
The UFC's welterweight title picture will certainly be a little more clear after this weekend's event. The top three billings all include 170-pound fights the have real meaning in the division, including Marquardt vs. Ellenberger. And while Marquardt may not have the inside track when it comes to the next shot at St-Pierre, he sounds strangely confident that his aspirations won't include that fight, anyway.
