LAS VEGAS – Dusko Todorovic has lost in grappling and other combat sports, but his defeat against Puna Soriano in January was the first of his MMA career.
A Serbian middleweight, Todorovic (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) told MMA Junkie at UFC Fight Night 189 media day Wednesday that he knew he’d someday encounter a loss. Weirdly enough, coming to terms with the loss was easier than expected.
“It was definitely a new experience, but I’ve competed before in wrestling and jiu-jitsu and grappling,” Todorovic said ahead of his return against Gregory Rodrigues (9-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC). “I had losses there, but it’s not the same as MMA. I was thinking before what it would feel like if I were to lose a fight. I always thought it would be much more difficult. (I thought) the mental part of it was going to be much, much, much harder.
“It’s not that bad, to be honest. I had a monologue with myself. I talked a bit with myself in my head, and I came to some conclusions about the things that I did wrong. I think I made some adjustments after my last loss. I think it’s all for the good in the long run.”
UFC Fight Night 189 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex. The card streams on ESPN+.
Check out Todorovic’s full pre-fight interview in the video above.
‘Monologue’ all UFC Fight Night 189’s Dusko Todorovic needed to feel confident after first loss
