The undefeated Sullivan Cauley will welcome Luke Trainer in a light heavyweight bout tonight at Bellator 293 in Temecula, California.
While many fans believe that this will be Sully’s toughest test to date inside the Bellator cage, Cauley sees the match-up as just another step on the ladder to the top of the light heavyweight division.
“He kind of looks like he thinks he’s Conor McGregor… he thinks he’s real sweet,” Cauley said of the match-up in a recent interview with Cageside Press. “I don’t think his striking skills can really match mine, but the biggest difference between us will be our grappling ability. While I was grinding it out in a wrestling room my whole life, he was playing basketball.”
Cauley, 26, trains out of Power MMA in Mesa, Arizona alongside his fellow Sundevil and mentor Ryan Bader. He believes that working with Bader, seeing how a champion trains and prepares for fights – has helped him to evolve as a mixed-martial artist.
“Bader has given me a lot of great advice, but more than anything he has told me – he just leads by example. You just kind of do as he does, and you win fight,” Cauley said.
In addition to Bader and other Arizona guys, Cauley spent a few weeks getting rounds in with UFC middleweight Paulo Costa, both at Power MMA and Fight Ready in Scottsdale.
“He’s a tough guy, it’s been a pleasure having him around. It went really well; we were pushing each other. I see us continuing to train in the future,” Cauley said.
Cauley has become one of the promotion’s top prospects, amassing an undefeated (5-0) Bellator record, with all victories coming by way of first round finish. He’ll look to replicate his success tonight against a 6’6″, well-rounded martial artist in the form of Luke “The Gent” Trainer.
Sullivan Cauley faces Luke Trainer at Bellator 293 tonight in Temecula, CA.
