Steven “Ocho” Peterson will return to action at UFC San Antonio this March, where he faces off with Brazilian talent Lucas Alexander.
The match-up certainly has Fight of the Night potential, and is surely one that fight fans should circle on their calendar.
Peterson at this point is known as one of the most violent fighters on the UFC roster, having secured a “Performance of the Night” bonus for his vicious spinning back fist knockout of Martin Bravo, while also earning “Fight of the Night” honors in both his UFC debut, and his most recent bout with Julian Erosa.
It will have been over a year by the time “Ocho” returns to the octagon, but he intends to make it worth the wait.
“I’m that $50,000 guy. These guys get their biggest paycheck of their career fighting me,” Peterson told Cageside Press recently. “Even if they don’t get their win bonus, which they probably won’t, they’re going to get that $50,000 bonus. I like to put on a show.”
While Peterson hasn’t entered the cage in nearly a calendar year, the UFC featherweight has been training alongside some of the best fighters in the world at Fortis MMA in Dallas, and looks forward to hearing the Texan fans chant his name as he makes his way to the octagon.
“Man I’ve been itching – I’ve been itching to get back in [the cage],” Peterson said. ”I’m ready to get back in there and give the fans what they want to see.”
Fortis MMA Head Coach Sayif Saud will be in Peterson’s corner in San Antonio, and he too is excited to see his star pupil back under the bright lights.
“The thing about Steven is – every one of his fights are crazy exciting. Every time he has a fight it’s ‘Fight of the Night’ caliber,” Saud said. “I always tell him, ‘go get a piece of history’. Go get your little piece of history, because you can’t fight forever.”
In addition to being a prize fighter; Peterson has also become a full-time instructor at Fortis MMA. When he’s not preparing for his own fights, he’s working with others in the gym throughout their training camps, helping guys like Matt Schnell and Geoff Neal elevate their skills and reach their full fighting potential. Peterson has developed an unbreakable bond with Coach Saud in recent years, teaching alongside the gym owner in addition to training under him.
“We all know my fights are exciting, but it feels great to have [Sayif Saud] think so fondly of me,” Peterson said. “I always go out there to put on a show, but now I’m really refining my craft. Becoming an instructor at Fortis has helped me come a long way. It’s always good to be respected.”
In recent weeks, Peterson had been helping fellow UFC Featherweight Damon Jackson (3-0 in 2022) prepare for his bout with Dan Ige. As Peterson begins to shift focus to getting his own training camp underway, he has his sights set, envisioning a much more fruitful and active 2023.
“You can expect a focused, disciplined Steven ‘Ocho’ Peterson. In 2023, I expect to fight three times. I’m going to go in there and make a statement in my first fight back. You’re going to see knockouts and maybe a couple submissions as well,” Peterson said.
It’ll be interesting to see how much Steven Peterson’s game has improved since his last outing with Erosa a year ago, as the former LFA champion looks to get back into the win column with a victory over Lucas “The Lion” Alexander on March 25 in San Antonio.
“I’m ready to go. You’re not going to see a boring fight out of me,” Peterson said.
Steven Peterson faces Lucas Alexander at UFC San Antonio on March 25, 2023 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX.
