Las Vegas, NV — There are those who will suggest that the fight game is 50% mental. Following UFC 255, it’s clear that middleweight Kyle Daukaus believes it at least plays a role.
Daukaus keeps a notebook to assist him with both his fighting career, and daily life as well, he told media outlets following the fight. Which contains “A lot of just like mental repetition stuff. I go like day-to-day, write down how I feel, write down my AM and PM routine. And just my goals for the day, you know, trying to be the best brother, be the best boyfriend, and be the best son I can be every day.”
At UFC 255, Daukaus (10-1) secured his first win inside the octagon. After a short-notice opportunity didn’t go his way earlier this year, things were much different this time out. The fight went the distance, in the end. There were moments in the fight that Daukaus appeared to have opponent Dustin Stoltzfus hurt. It’s not something he was aware of at the time — and that awareness, he believes, will come with experience.
“It’s weird. Like, when you’re in there, you don’t recognize it until afterwards,” Daukaus explained. “I recognized like three times that they were telling me ‘he’s hurt, he’s hurt.’ And I’m just like, damn, I really wish I could just zone in and focus in and see that. But that all takes experience. Every single time I’m getting in the cage I’m focusing more on what’s happening, and I’ll get there soon enough.”
Daukaus also downplayed the “Battle of Pennsylvania” narrative surrounding the fight. There’s no bragging rights with the win, he said. “I mean, not really. He lives in Germany. I saw he’s from Pennsylvania, I’m like, ‘dude, you’re from Germany. You’ve been living there for a while now.’ That’s my state.”
Watch the full UFC 255 post-fight press conference with Kyle Daukaus above.
