Laureano Staropoli knows there’s a lot ridding on his next UFC fight.
The Argentinian enters Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 194 coming off three consecutive defeats. Staropoli (9-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC) is set to take on Jamie Pickett, who’s winless in his two fights in the company. Staropoli knows that he’s not in an ideal position, as a fourth consecutive loss could mean his last fight in the UFC.
However, despite the situation, Staropoli remains level-headed and determined to leave it all in the cage in order to get his and raised.
“This is a decisive fight for me,” Staropoli told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I’m not taking it with the pressure that it brings, but quite the opposite. I’m very relaxed, very focused, and my head is 100 percent.
“We’re going to make a great fight, and I’m going to leave my life in there. I’m going out to kill or be killed so we can continue to be in there representing Argentina and continue fighting for the dream of getting the title.
“People might say, ‘You’re crazy. You’re coming off three defeats, and you’re still thinking about the the title instead of surviving in the company?’ But until the last day that I fight, I’m going to be thinking the same. I joined the UFC for that reason, and even though with everything that’s happened, I’m still with the head in the game, and nobody is going to take that away from me. I’m going to get there, and I will show it.”
Staropoli entered the UFC at 24 back in 2017. He had eight fights under his belt and put together a strong start in the organization. Staropoli defeated Hector Aldana in his debut and then former UFC title challenger Thiago Alves in the following bout.
However, he since dropped decision losses to Muslim Salikhov, Tim Means, and most recently Roman Dolidze.
Staropoli believes he didn’t have the right level of experience in those defeats, and he needed to mature. The Chute Boxe fighter feels he’s learned plenty in the last couple of years and is thankful he underwent those experiences.
“I was maturing as a fighter,” Staropoli said. “I entered the UFC with a 7-1 record. It’s not like I had great experience, so I had to mature as a fighter inside the biggest organization of the world, facing the beasts that I had to face.
“I’m a different fighter with a different mindset today because of all those things I experienced. I’m someone that learns a lot from their mistakes and from defeats. Even though these three defeats were extremely painful, I was able to reach a level of mindset and maturity that I didn’t have. If I didn’t go through what I did, maybe I wouldn’t be here telling you this. I needed to go through this. I view things differently now. Two years ago I didn’t. It’s a completely different landscape. I’m thankful for everything I went through.”
Laureano Staropoli determined to turn around UFC career: ‘I’m going out to kill or be killed’
