On last fight of contract, Yancy Medeiros done with waiting ahead of UFC Fight Night 188
In multiple regards, Yancy Medeiros is done waiting.
Life’s turns, paired with COVID-19 pandemic challenges, have delayed his return to the cage longer than he’s liked. The time away, however, has taught him many valuable lessons about himself in order to clear his mind and come back stronger ahead of UFC Fight Night 188.
“The past 15 months have been tough for everyone,” Medeiros recently told MMA Junkie. “I just took a lot of adjusting from fall to winter, trying to get out and make some changes with camps and coaches. It was nothing bad, but there were a lot of adjustments with the gyms and everything that went on, but there’s a lot of gratitude, too, though.
“We really got to see that we weren’t able to get what we usually get. Like, in the past years, we got everything from convenience to other things. It just brought a lot of new appreciation. I’m very happy with what I went through and what I changed.”
Medeiros (15-7 MMA, 6-7 UFC) fights Damir Hadzovic (13-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC) as the second bout of the prelims on Saturday’s card, which streams live on ESPN+ from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The fight could have significant career implications for Medeiros, who enters the final fight of his UFC contract on a three-fight losing skid.
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In order to turn his luck around, Medeiros’ self-exploration ended with a conclusion: He can’t leave the fight up to the judges. He can’t wait around to win. He needs to make something happen.
“Looking back on my performances, I’m not happy with my last three fights – obviously the outcomes,” Medeiros said. “Even if I don’t win, I’m looking to progress. But these last three fights, it’s like, ‘What’s going on, bro?’ I thought we really need to kick it into gear. Then I thought, ‘Kick it into gear? We need to slow it down and make these adjustments.’
“I (used to have) that chip on my shoulder. I wanted to prove something. Sh*t, it got to a point I felt like I wasn’t proving anything. I got too content. I felt like I was content with this, and I didn’t want to progress. (Now), it’s back to that (old way). It’s me proving that. The wait is over – that’s my saying. I waited too much. I waited on these judges to make my decisions. That’s done with.”
Despite his contractual status and recent rough patch while seeking a way to get in the win column, Medeiros hasn’t concerned himself with whether his back is up against the wall or not.
“I know they know I’m there to entertain,” Medeiros said. “If they didn’t, they’d cut me already. They did a really big round of (roster) cuts. I know my brand is there. I’ve just made myself wait. On May 22, I’m going to show everyone I’m coming. The kid is back.”
