Having spent all of 2020 on the sidelines waiting to fight following a 2019 that saw him both his bouts was a difficult thing for Bellator lightweight Lance Gibson Jr., but he was able to work his way through it with determination.
Feeling that any time he can spend in the gym is a good thing, Gibson used his 2020 to improve his game so he could be ready to go whenever he was given the opportunity to do so.
“Obviously there were a lot of ups and downs, but you’ve got to ride down that road and not get frustrated because you’ve got to get through it before you can actually get somewhere,” Gibson told MMAWeekly.com. “At the end of the day I took it for what it was and lived my life and continued to do what I do.
“At the end of the day I’m still a professional mixed martial artist. I’ve still got to train. I’ve still got to improve my skills. So throughout all this time I didn’t take a break. I was improving my skills and honing my skills so I could be the best I could be for when I get back in there.”
With the improvements he’s made in his game over the last year, Gibson couldn’t be more amped to get back to fighting and showcase his new skills.
“I’ll tell you that my striking has improved a lot,” said Gibson. “My explosiveness has improved a lot. My head movement; my movement in general; has improved. My wrestling, my grappling, my Jiu-Jitsu, everything has improved.
“At the end of the day we’re mixed martial artists, so we’ve got to go in there and be the most well-versed. I want to go in there and showcase what I’ve improved on, and that’s everything, so I’m excited.”
This Friday in Uncasville, Connecticut, Gibson (3-0) will look to continue his winning ways when he faces off against Marcus Surin (6-2) in a 155-pound preliminary bout at Bellator 257.
Conor McGregor claims fight with Dustin Poirier is off after Twitter tirade
“The way I believe in my scenario, there’s not a general way of preparing for a fight, but I believe I’m very well-rounded, so in this kind of scenario it’s about me doing what I can do and go in there and not hesitating on what I can do,” Gibson said.
“Having range management and control in the cage; obviously I watch and I prepare and I strategize; but I’m more focused on what I’m going to do because at the end of the day I have an answer for everything (my opponents) do. It’s more about me.”
Having had the last year of his career upended, Gibson is just going to focus on what he can for now with hopes it can eventually add up to getting him to where he wants to be.
“Obviously you plan for a destination, but there’s going to be pit stops and bumps, so I can’t give you exact dates and details for everything, but I plan on going in here and finishing the fight and put on a spectacular performance,” said Gibson.
“I plan on getting back in there before the end of the year for sure. I want to climb up these rankings and show Bellator I’m one of the best fighters they’ve seen, and continue to improve in between that time.”
Lance Gibson Jr. will not be hesitating at Bellator 257