Following a win earlier this year over Kenny Robertson at Caged Aggression 20, welterweight Dante Schiro was looking to step up in competition and will get his wish having since signing with Bellator.
Considering the level of competition Robertson had faced, for Schiro it was a big win not only for his career but helped seal his move to the next level.
“It’s always great to get a win. It feels niche, especially to get a win over somebody with quite a bit of experience (in Robertson),” Schiro told MMAWeekly.com. “He had like nine fights in the UFC or something like that. I did pretty well. It was another good win to put on my resume.”
In addition to stepping up to the next level of his career, Schiro has since stepped up his training since the win over Robertson, joining new teams and taking his training to the level of his upcoming competition.
“I feel like I’m a better fight right now than I ever have been,” said Schiro. “I truly mean that. I recently moved out to Colorado and have been training with Elevation Fight Team and High Altitude Martial Arts and have been getting new perspectives from coaches and training partners and whatnot.
“I feel I’ve grown leaps and bounds since I’ve been out here. I’m excited to get back in the cage and test what I’ve been learning and how I can perform with this new training schedule.”
This Friday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Schiro (8-2) steps into his new promotion versus Logan Storley (11-1) in a 170-pound main card bout at Bellator 265.
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“I used to watch him wrestle in college and whatnot, so it’s kind of cool that we’ll be able to fight,” Schiro said of Storley. “This is one of those (fights) where if Bellator was a route, which it is now… now we’re here I don’t think there’s going to be any surprises or anything for me.
“As far as how I think the fight is going to go and how I need to win, I just need to show up and be there and fight my best fight. I feel I’m better than he is as a martial artist and that’s what it’s going to come down to.”
For Schiro establishing himself in Bellator is the biggest thing right now. Depending on how things play out on Friday night the remainder of his year and perhaps 2021 could begin to take shape for him.
“I’m one fight at a time right now,” said Schiro. “For me this is a big one. I think the biggest thing is go out here and put on a good performance and get a win. I’m fully expecting to go in there and win. It’s going to shake up everything.
“Since my Bellator debut I’m not in their rankings or anything, so to go in there against the number five guy and get an impressive win that puts me right in there. If it all comes to fruition then I’ve got to stay up and fight the top guys and that title contention will become a thing.”
Dante Schiro on Bellator 265 fight against Logan Storley: ‘I feel I’m better’
