LAS VEGAS – After an upset loss on “The Ultimate Fighter,” Andre Petroski has a chip on his shoulder.
The No. 1 middleweight pick for Brian Ortega’s team, Petroski (5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was one of the frontrunners to win the show and he proved that right off the bat when he submitted Aaron Phillips in the first round.
But after a strong start against Bryan Battle in the semifinals, Petroski was submitted in the second round, which eliminated him from the tournament. Now that he’s gotten the call back to the octagon to face Michael Gillmore (6-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 30 on Saturday, Petroski is ready to prove he belongs in the UFC.
“I’m not going out there to do backflips and stuff, but I’m here to make a statement for sure,” Petroski told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Wednesday’s media day at the UFC Apex. “I’m here to make a statement that says, ‘I’m here. I’m here to stay.’ I’m dangerous for anyone I fight, and I’m the best in the world at what I do for sure.’”
Petroski couldn’t help but smile when he heard whom he’s fighting. With a couple of submissions to his name and all of Gillmore’s losses coming by submission, he sees it as a tailor-made matchup for his style.
“What’s not to love, besides the obvious of, like, he’s been submitted three or four times – I think it was three times – and I submit the majority of my opponents?” Petroski said. “That’s a huge factor. It’s rare that I get to fight a guy that’s shorter than me, for sure, especially at (1)85. I mean, what’s not to love about the matchup?”
To see the full interview with Petroski, check out the video above.
Andre Petroski out to prove that he’s here to stay with statement win at UFC on ESPN 30
