Boston, MA — Ahead of his first UFC fight in four years — the TUF 31 lightweight finale at UFC 292 this weekend — Kurt Holobaugh is “just living it up,” he said on Wednesday.
“Just enjoying my time out here, enjoying being back where I feel I truly belong,” Holobaugh (19-7, 1NC) told media outlets including Cageside Press at the UFC 292 media day in Boston. “I’m ready to fight.”
The Ultimate Fighter 31, which finished airing earlier this week, brought back returning veterans like Holobaugh and paired them up with young prospects in the bantamweight and lightweight divisions. Seven of eight fighters to make it to the semifinal round were UFC veterans. All four finalists, including Austin Hubbard, who Holobaugh will face for the TUF crown at UFC 292, are UFC vets.
The show turned out to be a huge blessing for the 36-year old, who has had two previous stints in the organization.
“Overall, amazing experience. Can’t recommend that show enough for young and up-and-coming fighters.” Holobaugh added he truly doesn’t understand why fighters in the past have struggled to handle being sequestered for the show and have gone home. “I sacrificed a lot to go on that show, but that show is probably going to turn out to be one of the best things to ever happen to my career.”
Holobaugh is 0-4 in the UFC, losing a one-off fight in 2013 after his former home, Strikeforce, was absorbed into the larger company. He returned to the UFC by way of the Contender Series in 2017, but went 0-3 before being released a second time.
Constantly bouncing back as he has, “I think it just says I don’t stop, I keep trying to pursue my dreams,” said Holobaugh. “And keep pursuing the goals that I set out for myself.”
As for fighting an opponent who was a teammate on TUF 31, Holobaugh isn’t too concerned. His coaches warned him early on not to show too much in training.
“Do your thing, train hard, but don’t show everything,” was their advice, said Holobaugh. “And I definitely don’t think that I did, I think that I’m definitely a lot better than a lot of guys in the house gave me credit for, as they found out in that last fight [with Jason Knight].”
Beyond that, “I think training and fighting is 100% different,” Holobaugh added. “Even if I did think he was weak in some certain areas, a fight’s always different.”
Watch the full UFC 292 media day appearance by Kurt Holobaugh above.
