CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – It’s often said in MMA that you learn more from losses than wins. Manny Bermudez doesn’t necessarily disagree, but he sees those measuring points a little different than most.
“Being in the gym, training with other people, I know there’s better people than me out there,” Bermudez told reporters at a Wednesday media session. “I know there’s people that are tougher. I there’s this, that, this, so I kind of grew up already, knowing what it’s like not always coming out on top. So for me, it’s just another day. You can pull yourself back together and get back in that win column, continue to perform.
“Honestly, I don’t think it’s really that big of a deal.”
Bermudez was undefeated in his professional career prior to an August decision loss to Casey Kenny at UFC 241. It also ended an impressive run of three consecutive submission wins under the UFC banner. Still, the 25-year-old said he didn’t put too much emphasis on the setback. After all, as many fighters will tell, MMA careers are often about the journey as a whole rather than too much focus on any individual moments.
“In this sport, it’s not about staying undefeated forever,” Bermudez said. “It’s not about just being perfect. I think a lot of fighters get into this because they got their butts kicked sometimes or because they grew up with challenges – and I think that’s a part of the sport, overcoming challenges and being able to step up and being able to recover, adapt and improve.”
Bermudez (14-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) will get the change to showcase his growth at Friday’s UFC on ESPN 6 at TD Garden, when he meets fellow Massachusetts native Charles Rosa (11-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC) on the night’s ESPN2-broadcast preliminary card.
Despite the two sharing a similar home base, the pair have not crossed paths in their training. Bermudez took that as a bit of an opportunity to boast that he’s the real local favorite, with Rosa training at Florida’s famed American Top Team.
“His nickname’s ‘Boston Strong’ right, what’s he doing in Florida?” Bermudez joked.
Still, it’s a big moment for Bermudez. His undefeated record is gone, but not many fighters carry that very far into their pro runs. He’s also moving up to featherweight following a pair of 140-pound catchweight contests.
It’s not do or die. His back isn’t against the wall. But one only wants to suffer so many setbacks.
Still, Bermudez said he didn’t have to look very far to gather some inspiration for this contest.
“Jeremy Stephens is on this card, and he’s a guy I reference to a lot because he’s had plenty of ups and plenty of downs, and he’s a guy that I think would be tough for anybody to be fighting,” Bermudez said. “He’s a veteran of the sport, and I think to become somebody like that, you have to go through the wins, you have to go through the losses. You have to get hurt. You have to fight through injuries and all of that stuff. I think it’s a part of growing.”
Undefeated no more, Manny Bermudez explains why first pro loss wasn't that big of a deal