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Against UFC Newcomer, Pierce May Showcase Striking

Mike Pierce (left) | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com



Mike Pierce wanted to fight Thiago Alves. A matchup against the former title challenger would have given Pierce a chance to catapult himself into contention.

Instead he’ll meet Octagon newcomer Kenny Robertson on Saturday at UFC 126. Although the matchup won’t push Pierce into the title hunt, he does think it could give him the opportunity to showcase his striking ability.

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“If this guy presents more opportunities on the feet, I think that might be where I go,” Pierce said recently during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network. “But I’m comfortable going anywhere. My thing is kind of ground-and-pound and taking people down, but I like to showcase other things too.”

Most recently Robertson submitted John Kolosci with a keylock in August at Bellator Fighting Championships 25. His record shows multiple finishes via submission but also stoppages on strikes. Pierce said he’s seen footage of Robertson’s last three fights.

“He does a little of everything,” Pierce said. “He does a little standup. He likes to get things on the ground and then works submissions, from what I can tell. I’ve seen enough to know what I need to know.”

While Robertson will be making his UFC debut, the fight will be Pierce’s fourth in the Octagon. He is 3-1 in the UFC with his only loss coming via unanimous decision to Jon Fitch. After armbarring Amilcar Alves in August, Pierce was hoping for a high-profile opponent.

“I was hoping for somebody that had been around a little bit longer and had a couple of fights in the UFC,” Pierce said. “But at the end of the day, if you win, you get paid well. That’s what my job is to do: go out there and put on a show and win. I don’t really care who they match me up with.”

With that said, though, Pierce had requested a matchup with Thiago Alves.

“For one, he notoriously doesn’t do that well against wrestlers,” Pierce explained. “And … I just really don’t like guys that can’t make weight. That was another reason why.”

Alves will be fighting Rick Story next, though, and Pierce has Robertson in front of him on Saturday. Although Pierce typically prefers a less than flashy ground-and-pound approach, he plans on delivering an entertaining performance.

“I think he’s going to be another [notch] on the belt,” Pierce said. “I want to go out there and put on a show and finish this guy. Hopefully after that I can start getting some guys with a little more experience inside the Octagon and start working my way up the ranks. That’s what I’m going to be looking to do after this fight.”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 1:30:55) with Pierce, who also discussed entry music, discussion forums and handling criticism.
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