It doesn’t feel like two years since we’ve last seen UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa in the Octagon. But it was at UFC 265 that he made his last appearance.
Now, the one-time title contender will make a return to action to open the main card at UFC 291, and he is not short on confidence.
Michael Chiesa Plans To Deliver With UFC Comeback
“It feels like I never left. It doesn’t feel like my last fight was almost two years ago. The last big card I was on was 265 in Houston. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been away.
I’ve had long layoffs due to injury and stuff, so I don’t anticipate to have any issues when it comes to the competition. When I look at the situation with what happened in April, there is a light in that whole situation in [that] I don’t believe in ring rust, but I do believe in camp rust.
So fortunately for me, I got a full camp under my belt when I was training for Li Jingliang, I shook off the camp rust, it made it easier this training camp to deal with the rigors, the hard sparring, everything that comes with it, but when it comes to competition, I’m a competitor. I was born to do this and it just feels good to be back at fight week.”
Chiesa is set to face Kevin Holland, one of the UFC’s most prolific in-ring trash talkers. He says he’s thrilled at the prospect of facing such a popular personality.
“I’ve never wanted an easy fight and I feel like Kevin and I have been on a collision course to face each other.
Had I got the fight in Miami, I think him and I would still be fighting each other on this card. I think it was inevitable and I think it’s better to catch him now before he really hits his prime at 32.
I know how I felt from 30 to 35, and I think Kevin’s best years are ahead of him. I’m happy with this fight, I like somebody that’s going to bring the fight, and it’s fun to be on the main card with him. I like this matchup a lot.”
With two years between Chiesa and his last Octagon appearance – his second consecutive loss – the layoff may prove to be a good thing.
“I don’t feel like I’m heading into this fight with two losses under my belt. It doesn’t even factor into my thoughts.
I’m not in that echelon of guys like, backs against the wall, this might be the last one. I’ve got a lot of tread left on my tires and while I’ve had these bad injuries, the one part on my body that is preserved the most is [my head], and that’s most important. I haven’t taken a lot of damage upstairs through my career, and I think that’s what’s most important. “
