Ford Confident He Will Take MFC Crown

By:  | Posted: Friday, July 25th, 2008 at 9:23 pm.

Speaking with Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford a few hours before he’s set to square off against Pat Healy tonight at MFC 17: Hostile Takeover in a fight which will determine the new Maximum Fighting Championship welterweight champion, one thing becomes immediately clear. The 25-year old Edmonton, Alberta fighter’s mental game is as sharp as his skills he displays inside the ring; a major accomplishment for a fighter who first competed in MMA just over one year ago.

 

Despite having only fought six times, Ford, speaking like a veteran of the sport says that he doesn’t let his opponents or his detractors dictate the outcome of the fight outside of the ring.

 

“I don’t listen to any of the negative comments people make about me. They either love me or they love to hate me. That’s the way it is,” Ford explains. “There are always people that hate to see others succeed. I’ve gotten used to it. I just go in there and do my job and I don’t worry about what anyone says about me. I always knew if I worked hard enough, I’d get a title shot some day. I’ve never been one to do something for the sake of doing it. I do it to be the best and that’s what I want to do with MMA.”

 

Healy (18-14) is the third opponent Ford has been scheduled to face. Originally, Drew Fickett signed on for the fight but after a disagreement with MFC owner and Ford’s manager Mark Pavelich over an attempted breach of contract, Joe Jordan was tagged in. Less than two weeks from the event, Healy hurt his back training and was forced to pull out of the bout and the always game UFC and IFL veteran Healy agreed to the fight on short notice.

 

Shrugging off any suggestions that the opponent change might have affected his preparedness for the fight, Ford says he prefers to let the fight unfold however it may rather than prepare for a style  demonstrated by an opponent in past fights.

 

“I kept the formula for training the same. I just work hard and stay in the gym.  I work on every aspect of my game so I can be as well rounded as possible. I don’t just work on my weaknesses; I work on my strengths as well. I want to be ready for any situation anywhere the fight goes. I like to dictate where the fight goes,” Ford says. “I don’t get into worrying if a guy is a wrestler or a striker because they can surprise you. I worry about myself and what I do in the fight, not what my opponent might do. I watched a few of [Jordan's] IFL fights on YouTube. He’s a scrapper who likes to brawl so he’s going to bring my type of fight. I’m ready to go.”

 

Working hard under the tutelage of Pavelich with training partners like UFC veteran Jason MacDonald, Ford has become a juggernaut, finishing every opponent put in front of him including UFC veterans Pete Spratt and CJ Fernandes. Half of his wins have come by TKO with the other three via rear-naked-choke. None of Ford’s fights have gone past the second round – a trend he says he plans to continue tonight.

 

“I’m not going to make a prediction of which round I’m going to beat him in. Guys do that and they look stupid when they’re wrong,” Ford says. “Let’s just say that I’m not going to go five rounds and I’m not going to leave it up to the judges’ decision. I’m going to finish the fight.”

 

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MFC 17: Hostile Takeover

Friday, July 25, 2008

River Cree Resort and Casino in Alberta, Canada

 

MAIN CARD

 

MFC Inaugural Welterweight Championship Bout

Pat Healy vs. Ryan Ford 


Donald Sanchez vs. Jason Maxwell 


Ron Faircloth vs. Levi Avera 


Ricardo Tirloni vs. Ben Henderson 


Dwayne Lewis vs. Aron Lofton

 

PRELIMINARY BOUTS

Ryan Machan vs. Ryan Heck 

Jay Whitford vs. Jason Kuchera 


Gavin Neil vs. Evan Sanguin 


Lemont Davis vs. Mike Sorensen 


Brandon Curts vs. Elliot Duff 


Jason Zorthian vs. Jesse Clarke

CATEGORIES:MMA