Phoenix, AZ – Legend has it that UFC welterweight Francisco Trinaldo, at some point, found the fountain of youth and is much younger than the 43-years-old he’s supposed to be. You would have never guess he was past 40 when he went 15 hard minutes with Danny Roberts and came out with the win at UFC 274 on Saturday night.
The hard-fought win came after a back and forth bout with Roberts. Trinaldo went into it with a mission to get a badly-needed win.
“I needed a win. I really needed to have a hard fight and I really needed to win. I did what I needed to do. I just really want to be back now with my family, with my kids, with my family and everybody that I love, and prepare for the next one,” Trinaldo said through a translator.
Trinaldo was able to hurt Roberts early, but the latter survived and even came back at Trinaldo.
“My strategy from the beginning was to not clinch up with him. To not touch him at all, to stay outside, use my boxing, and kick him a lot in the legs. However, I sustained an injury on my left shin which kept me from kicking so I had to adapt and just tried to box. My goal was, I really wanted a finish. I really wanted a knockout, but with my kicks taken away I really had to rely on my boxing. I got the victory that way,” Trinaldo said.
At 43-years-old how much longer can Trinaldo keep this up?
“I tell my coaches I stopped aging at 33. So as long as my coaches are willing to put up with me, and get me through hard training camps, I’m here to fight. Like I said, I don’t look at my age, I tell everybody I stopped aging at 33. I feel great. So as long as my coaches are willing to put in the work, I’m here to fight.”
Watch the full UFC 274 post-fight press conference appearance by Francisco Trinaldo above. More coverage from the event can be found below.
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Dana White
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Charles Oliveira
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Carla Esparza
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Michael Chandler
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Rose Namajunas
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Andre Fialho
