By Dwight Wakabayashi
Canadian light-heavyweight Roger Hollett will come in to his second UFC fight with the peace of mind of a full training camp of preparation behind him, and he will need every bit of it against “The Brazilian Zombie” Fabio Maldonado.
Hollett, a 34-year old native of Halifax, made his Octagon debut at UFC 152 in Toronto last September as a last-minute replacement against Matt Hamill. Hollett had been signed by the UFC a month before but a contract dispute with Bellator followed and distracted Hollett’s focus leading up to the fight. Hamill, an accomplished and popular TUF alum, made his return to the cage after a year-long retirement and seemed ripe for the picking, but Hollett was simply too lacklustre and ill-prepared to seize the opportunity.
He will now get his second chance to make an impression at UFC on Sportsnet: Belfort vs. Rockhold in Brazil, and the full training camp should give him the best chance against an extremely tough opponent in Maldonado. The Brazilian will be in front of his home crowd, and despite three losses in a row in the UFC, he has gained a rabid fan following due to his tough and aggressive fighting style and his willingness to absorb shots and keep pressing forward. He lost epic battles to Kyle Kingsbury and Igor Pokrajac before getting beaten badly in his last fight against top contender Glover Teixeira.
Watch Hollett’s fight at 6 p.m. ET Saturday on Sportsnet ONE as it kicks off the preliminary coverage of UFC on Sportsnet: Belfort vs. Rockhold. The six-fight preliminary card will be followed by the main card at 9 p.m. ET, also on Sportsnet ONE. In addition, catch three bonus online prelims at 4:30 p.m. ET on sportsnet.ca.
Hollett (13-4) has proven that he is too good for anyone in his weight class outside of the UFC, and he believes a full training camp will make every difference in the world.
“I just want to showcase, when I’ve had a full camp, what I’m capable of doing. I had a s—-y first (fight) and then I had to pull out due to a torn bicep. I haven’t been able to show anything yet. So I’m just excited to get out there and showcase some stuff.” he said in a recent interview with Sun Media. “You need a full camp against these guys. These guys are the best in the world.”
The 34-year-old Hollett trains under Greg Jackson at Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., and he will surely have a smart approach to victory.
“He has a good chin, so he’ll kind of take a little more risk, but that’s not a safe way (to fight),” Hollett said. “He’s been taking some bad beatings in his last couple fights.
“I just have to take my time and pick my shots. He’s tough as hell and you have to really wear him down. Guys have gotten overzealous, trying to finish him too quick and it’s cost them. So he’s definitely dangerous and you have to be careful. I won’t be rushing into anything unless I’m 100 per cent sure.”
Hollett will need every bit of his training and mental toughness to get a victory over Maldonado and avoid going winless in his first two UFC fights.
