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Nick Newell Looks to Rebound From First Career Loss at WSOF 20
World Series of Fighting lightweight Nick Newell’s 2014 didn’t go as he would have liked.
Though he got a title shot against 155-pound champ Justin Gaethje in July, Newell wasn’t able to keep momentum going after a good start and ended up losing by second-round TKO.
“I feel like I over-trained a little bit for that fight,” Newell Told MMAWeekly.com. “I feel like I had a bad night. I just wasn’t myself out there.
“At the beginning of the fight I did really well. I rocked him, I had him hurt and I should have kept striking, but instead I went for a shot. He sprawled and I ended up eating a couple good shots and wasn’t the same after that.”
While some people might want to make an overhaul following their first loss, Newell instead has stuck to his guns and feels he’ll be better for not making massive alterations to his training.
“Obviously there are always things that need work on, nobody is perfect,” he said. “There are always a few things to change, but nothing major, just getting better every day.
“There are a few things that clicked in training recently, both standing and on the ground, and I feel like I’m a lot better than I was. I’m excited to go out there and show it.”
Newell (11-1) will look to rebound this Friday at WSOF 20 at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, against veteran Joe Condon (21-7).
“He’s tough, durable and is big for the weight class, but I feel if I go out there and I just perform and fight like I know I can, there’s no way he beats me,” Newell said of his bout with Condon.
Looking to move forward from his lone disappointment last year, Newell is firmly focused on what is ahead of him and will take things as they come in 2015.
“I just want to win this Friday and take it from there,” he said. “I made a promise to myself that I will work as hard as I can, give it all that I have and just believe in myself and see how far it takes me.”
