Tyson Pedro was almost cut from one of the biggest fight cards in Australia at UFC 284, where his opponent Zhang Mingyang was about to make his promotional debut but had to pull out of the fight due to unforeseen circumstances.
However, Modestas Bukauskas stepped in to fight Pedro on a week’s notice, and the Aussie was glad he could still perform for the fans on Sunday.
“It was a nice change of pace because the last two guys I’ve fought, I think got cut from the UFC. So, it was good to bring someone back in. But it’s a better fight, I think for the fans anyway, and I’m just very glad he took it on a week’s notice because I still get to get paid,” Pedro said.
But as Pedro has said on numerous occasions, his time at City Kickboxing has taken him levels beyond his past performances in the cage and on the mats. So, no matter who’s facing him across the octagon come fight time, the Aussie has trained harder than ever, showcasing that a change in opponents is not much of a concern.
“More work to be done. I feel like I’m getting better and better. That’s a testament to my training at City Kickboxing, and it’s been enjoyable and transformative. I feel like after the four years off I was a bit lost. Even coming back from the outside looking in, it looks like all happy and things going good because I’m winning in a fight, but I hadn’t truly transitioned to being a fighter again and being the person I love being. Now, I’m starting to get into the groove of being back and comfortable with who I am as a fighter and as a father. Now I’m ready to just get after it,” Pedro continued.
