LFA bantamweight Kasey Tanner has turned past setbacks into fuel, and now stands on the verge of a breakthrough. Riding the momentum of a potential three-fight win streak, he looks to punch his ticket to the UFC with a win over Michael Cyr at LFA 220 on Saturday night.
Tanner (8-1) got a shot at a UFC contract in 2023 at Dana White’s Contender Series, but fell short in a tough fight with Jean Matsumoto. While Tanner pushed through and still delivered a gritty performance, he revealed there was more going on behind the scenes than fans realized. The bout, he explained, was compromised before he ever stepped into the cage.
“I haven’t talked about it a lot, but I was really not feeling good during that fight. I had a tough weight cut, and then just kind of messed up on my refueling process. Really had some like stomach issues going on, and certain things like that,” Tanner told Cageside Press.
“It kind of limited me in that fight to where I couldn’t wrestle much, and use my game plan. My body was just not functioning the way I needed it to. Still it was a good fight, tough scrap, and you take a lot from that, just getting in those wars.”
The Fight Ready standout returned from a brief layoff and picked up back-to-back wins over Thiago Belo and Micaias Ureña heading into this main event bout against Cyr at LFA 220.
“I like the matchup. Dude with the same record as mine, 8-1, but I’m just excited to show the levels here. I think there’s levels to the game. I’m looking to come in and make a statement. I’m not here to play around. I’m here to take him out,” said Tanner.
A win in the main event gets Tanner to 9-1, three victories in a row, and the spotlight on Saturday night. Tanner hopes to turn that into a phone call from UFC brass for a call-up to the big show.
“I’m always calling for a UFC shot. I want that more than anything, I’m hungry for it, and I put the time in beating up UFC guys in the gym for years now,” he said.
“I’m the last guy that hasn’t gotten his shot yet so I want that more than anything, more than ever.”
And if the UFC doesn’t come calling immediately, Tanner has no problem taking the next best path to get there. For him, it’s simple. Keep fighting the top guys and force the door open.
“If it’s not that, give me that LFA title, I’ll take that against Mitch McKee or whoever they got that wants to scrap for it. Let’s go for it,” he said.
Watch the entire interview with Kasey Tanner above. He headlines LFA 220 against Michael Cyr on Saturday night in Phoenix, Arizona.
