San Jose, CA – Winning streaks are an important part of a run to a title. Bellator heavyweight Linton Vassell weathered the storm of a three-fight losing streak and is now trying to put together a four-fight winning streak when he takes on Tim Johnson at Bellator 277 on Friday night.
“Obviously coming back from three losses you definitely have to start thinking ‘What’s next’. I went back, contemplated what to do, and I guess come back with three big wins so the momentum’s on my side and I’m ready for this next fight to make another statement because, you know, I want that gold,” Vassell told reporters at Bellator 277 media day on Wednesday.
At 38-years-old and now a heavyweight fighter Vassell seems to have new life to him without the stress of having to stay at a certain weight in order to make his weight cuts manageable.
“The main this is just being smart. I felt like, when I was light heavyweight, I was always trying to cut the weight and stay around 230. I felt like I was always overtraining because I got on the scale and maybe the number wasn’t right. I may be a little bit heavier today and I’m like, well I put more weight on maybe go for a run. But back then I didn’t know what I was doing. Obviously I don’t have to do that as much now so for weight cut, and I know my body’s hurting me a little bit too much, I may take the morning session off and hit the evening. Or I may take the whole day off,” Vassell said.
“And that’s really, really helped considering I’m a heavyweight.”
Vassell takes on Tim Johnson who has a long and storied career himself with matchups with some of the best heavyweight to ever fight in Bellator and the UFC.
“I think he stands up to his name ‘The Bear’. He’s a big dude. He comes in, comes to rush you and spoil you and throws big heavy haymakers. Obviously I’ve got to be on my toes and counter punching and take him down and drown him. My style’s not going to change. Everyone asks what I’m going to do, my fight style stays the same. Can you stop it? And record speaks for itself,” Vassell said.
“It can’t be stopped.”
Watch the rest of Linton Vassell’s media day scrum above. Bellator 277 goes down April 15th in San Jose, CA on Showtime.
