Outside Source
Featherweight prospect Brendan Loughnane put on arguably the best performance of any fighter competing on “Dana White’s Contender Series” on Tuesday night yet he left Las Vegas without a UFC contract.
The determining factor that kept Loughnane from his goal of joining the UFC roster was a late takedown that he landed on opponent Bill Algeo after dominating the majority of the contest over three rounds.
Loughnane secured the unanimous decision win but the moment he shot for a takedown with less than 10 seconds remaining in the fight, UFC president Dana White had seen enough to tell him it wasn’t the right time to sign him.
“When you come onto this show, unlike any other show you would fight in or whatever, I’m looking for killers,” White said following the event. “If you get in here and you make it to this show and you want to get into the UFC, show me. Don’t double leg when you’ve got 10 seconds left in the fight.
“Show me you want to be here, show me you want to win, show me you have that killer instinct. You can fight a thousand of those fights anywhere else or even in our show, but not tonight.”
White confirmed that the late takedown from Loughnane absolutely cost him a chance at a UFC contract because that’s not the kind of performance he wants to see on that stage.
“100-percent. They literally showed it on TV tonight. When he double legged, I threw my pen and went ‘you’ve got to be s—ting me, did he just double leg him with less than 10 seconds left in a fight?’. That ruined it for me,” White stated.
Loughnane, who previously competed on “The Ultimate Fighter” and had a single UFC fight back in 2012, worked his way back to “The Contender Series” with a 6-1 record over his past seven fights with all of his wins coming by way of knockout.
Unfortunately the way he ended his fight on Tuesday night was enough for White to decide he shouldn’t get a contract to join the UFC, although it sounds like he’s still on the promotion’s radar for the future.
“That kid is absolutely going to be in the UFC someday,” White said. “He’s got the record, he’s got the skill, he’s got the great story. I think he’s hilarious. Just not tonight.”
This article first appeared at MMA Fighting – All Posts
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