Fresh off his latest win at UFC Vancouver, Kyle Nelson already has his next target in mind. He expressed interest in fighting veteran lightweight Drew Dober and believes it could be an exciting matchup.
Nelson, 34, earned a unanimous decision over Matt Frevola at UFC Vancouver. The 1st round created some controversy. The Canadian dropped Frevola and landed several ground strikes.
Many assumed he earned a TKO victory, but instead the referee stepped in because the round had ended.
This fight marked Nelson’s return to lightweight after competing mostly at featherweight. His gained plenty of momentum by defeating Frevola, which hopes to carry it into his next fight, preferably against Dober.
Speaking with Michael Asiffo of The Game Plan, Nelson said fighting Dober would allow him to prove himself at lightweight.
“I like the Drew Dober fight, I think that’d be a great fight for me,” Nelson said during an interview The Game Plan. “He’s now got the most finishes, most knockouts. He’s the top of the lightweight division as far as [knockouts].”
He added:
“I feel like it’d be a great fight, I feel like we’d put on an entertaining fight,” Nelson said. “So, I think it’s another step up without jumping into the top-15. It’d be a great fan-friendly matchup.”
Kyle Nelson Took Time Adjusting His Body to Lightweight
Kyle Nelson also spoke about moving up to lightweight. He revealed he took time to adjust, spending a year adjusting his body, nutrition, and training. ‘The Monster’ wanted to ensure he wasn’t overmatched at 155 pounds.
Nelson had always been a larger featherweight, making weight cuts increasingly difficult as he got older. He expressed satisfaction with his permanent move to lightweight. He felt strong at UFC Vancouver and happy that his hard work paid off.
“[The weight cut to featherweight] was definitely just getting to be too much,” Nelson told The Game Plan. “After the last fight [at featherweight], I just kind of decided we’ll take a little time off, we’ll go up to 155 [pounds], do it the right way, and I feel like it worked out really well.”
Now at lightweight permanently, Nelson believes his future looks bright.
Nelson and Dober Fought at the Same Event
The timing suggests Nelson vs. Dober could be a possible. Both fighters competed at UFC Vancouver on Oct. 18, and they entered the event under similar circumstances.
Nelson came off a 1st round TKO loss to Steve Garcia last September. He risked moving up to lightweight, knowing a loss after changing weight divisions could have set his career back.
‘The Monster’ rebounded with a unanimous decision, improving to 4-1 in his last five fights.
Dober, on the other hand, entered UFC Vancouver with his back against the wall. He had lost three consecutive fights, and a fourth could have jeopardized his UFC tenure.
Dober defeated Kyle Prepolec by 3rd round TKO, getting back in the win column. With Dober and Nelson both securing impressive wins, the UFC matchmakers may see value in scheduling a fight between them.
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