‘Killa B’ Ben Saunders was thrilled to be fighting Matt Brown, even before he knew they would be part of this weekend’s massive UFC 245 card.
Las Vegas, NV — Ultimate Fighter 6 veteran and fan favorite Ben Saunders (22–12–2) returns this weekend at UFC 245, in a fight that promises fireworks, plain and simple. Saunders and opponent Matt Brown share at least one common trait: they never seem to have a boring fight.
It’s a fight that was as exciting for Saunders as it was for fans when he first heard about it. “Pretty much, pretty much man. The second I got the name I was like ‘let’s go.’ Then they told me the location and the date — I didn’t care about any of that,” he told Cageside Press at the UFC 245 media day this week. “In this game I’m trying to fight the best I can get my hands on. When you’re a veteran like Brown, you’ve got a name like Brown, that’s motivation.”
While Saunders, fighting as a pro since 2004, recognizes that everyone in the game is super-talented, “the longevity we’ve had in the game, I feel it can kind of get watered down, as far as when you’re getting up-and-comers.”
Not getting big names, he added, “can kind of mess with a little bit of motivation. I’m always a hard worker, and I’m always going to train hard and come in to win. But when you get a legit name that you’re excited about, knowing the fans are going to be excited about it, and then the fans actually are as excited if not more excited than even you are, there’s even better motivation.”
On the subject of motivation, Saunders also takes a peculiar mindset heading into his fights. “Most people don’t know but I feel like almost every fight, I feel like it’s my last, or it damn sure could be my last,” he revealed. “Just making it to the fight is I guess you could say a blessing.”
Injuries in camps that last eight weeks or more are of course a concern, “but I’m thinking worst case scenario, what if I get hit by a car, or what if something happens where it’s either a career-ending injury or even worse, I die? When I go out there, in my head I’m thinking ‘what if this is possibly the last thing anyone ever remembers me for?'”
Which leads Ben Saunders to giving 110% every time out. Coming in on a three-fight losing streak against Brown, the gritty welterweight will need exactly that effort to come out on top.
Watch our full UFC 245 interview with Ben Saunders above!
