PFL featherweight Tom Pagliarulo scored a nasty first round TKO victory when he landed a knee to the body of Matt Turnbull at PFL World Tournament on Friday.
Pagliarulo (10-2) always goes for the finish, but against Turnbull he wasn’t chasing it. It just presented itself.
“I’m excited. That kid’s never been TKO’d or KO’d. Everyone said it was going to be decision if I won so I’m happy to go in there and show I can do that to anyone in the world,” Pagliarulo told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.
“I’ve learned throughout my amateur career, and my early pro career, when you’re focusing on it and trying to make it happen it doesn’t happen. I just go in there and tell myself 15 minutes of work, 15 minutes of discipline, I say that to myself before I walk out.”
This is just the continuation of the competitive itch that Pagliarulo has. Having been competing since he was a kid in different sports he’s built his way into the spotlight.
Now what would he tell that kid today?
“Sh*t man. I think I’m pretty cool,” he said with a laugh.
“This is just consistency. I’m like proud of myself, but it’s also I’ve expected to be here. This is all I do. Even as a an amateur I haven’t worked a full-time job. I’ve got the craziest support system and I just train all the time. I’d tell that kid like, ‘Hey just keep doing what you’re doing and good things are going to happen.’ I still just tell myself the same thing. I think I’d be pretty proud of myself, and I am proud of myself.”
Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Tom Pagliarulo above.
