Mikey Gonzalez plans to shine under Dana White’s Contender Series lights

There’s no denying that for welterweight Mikey Gonzalez, the first half of 2020 was mostly a lost cause.

Having originally planned on branching out more and fighting in new places, Gonzalez’s hopes were dashed for the time being due to the novel coronavirus.

“At the beginning of 2020, I was looking to fight on the East Coast, but had a couple opponents back out, and then things just fell through,” Gonzalez told MMAWeekly.com. “I felt like I was at a standstill. I wanted to stay active.

“Bellator was going to line me up a fight in April, but the coronavirus destroyed that opportunity. I wasn’t get anywhere with the Covid. I felt time was a factor and I wasn’t active.”

Following a change of management, Gonzalez’s career prospects improved, but admittedly his training took a bit of a hit during lockdown.

“All the gyms got shut down from where I am, so because of that it was really hard for me to get training with bodies,” said Gonzalez. “So it was really individual training; training by yourself really. If there’s a will there’s a way. You’ve got to figure out a way to get through it, so that’s what you do.”

On Tuesday in Las Vegas, Gonzalez (7-1) will look to kick off his 2020 in a big way when he faces Uros Medic (5-0) in a welterweight bout at Dana White’s Contender Series 2020: Week 1.

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“He’s definitely game and confident,” Gonzalez said of Medic. “It is what it is. He’s another fighter, he fights like anybody else. In order for me to get the win I just need to do what I do best: perform and shine under those lights.”

For Gonzalez, Tuesday’s fight is a means to an end. Winning the bout and earning a contract will help set him up financially to continue to pursue MMA fulltime in 2020.

“The task at hand is Uros Medic and beating him, getting the W, and then moving forward,” said Gonzalez.

“If I were to visualize the future, I just hope that I showcase what I need to showcase and see some UFC dollar signs. This is an entertainment business; we’re here to make money, so I hope they see what my fan base already sees (in me).”