‘The Worst Thing Has Already Happened’ – Paul Elliott Eager To Bounce Back From First Loss At ONE 160
Paul Elliott is ready to prove that he belongs among the elite on the global stage of martial arts.
After suffering his first career MMA defeat in his ONE debut, the rising English heavyweight wants to set the record straight when he battles Croatia’s Martin Batur at ONE 160: Ok vs. Lee II on Friday, August 26.
“King of the North” has taken lessons from his first-round knockout loss to Kang Ji Won and plans to show what he’s truly capable of in this return to the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
He said:
“I wasn’t thinking straight. I just went gorilla mode for some reason. It was not what I should have been doing.
“My aim is not to be silly like I did last time. That was not a good thing for me. But you learn. If you don’t take the positives from it, then you’re going to take a step back.”
Instead, Elliott is ready to take a step forward.
Without the pressure of an unbeaten slate on his shoulders, the Middlesbrough native feels more comfortable coming into the contest against Batur.
In fact, the defeat injected a fresh motivation into his training, and he’s ready to bounce back with a vengeance.
Elliott explained:
“Honestly, the fact that it was my first loss, I think I’m actually not stressing about the fight as much as I normally would, because the worst thing has already happened to me, so it releases a lot of the pressure. The only way is up from there. Strangely, I feel like I’m a lot more more confident.
“Like I said the last fight didn’t go my way. But it’s fine, these things happen, onto the next one with a positive attitude towards it.”
Paul Elliott Ready To Showcase His Complete Skill Set Against Martin Batur
Paul Elliott knows that he only displayed a small fraction of his arsenal in his quick but action-packed battle against Kang Ji Won.
However, he believes Martin Batur will bring out more of his assets.
The promotional newcomer from Croatia has won three straight fights – finishing all of them inside the distance – and “King of the North” expects to be pushed hard in their heavyweight encounter.
He said:
“I’ve watched [Batur’s] recent stuff, and he looks a big, strong boy. He seems to just want to try and get it to the ground by the look of things because he likes to be on top and deliver punishment or go for a submission.
“I’m working on keeping on my feet, as usual, because that’s what I like to do. Striking is obviously my game, but I’ve got a lot more tools in that game as well, which other people haven’t seen. I have a lot more to offer.”
While he feels ready for whatever Batur brings to the Circle in terms of skills, the key for Elliott is to use his experience and keep his mind in check.
He’s seen what can happen by storming forward against a high-level opponent, and he plans to stay more composed this time – though he’ll also be ready to capitalize on any openings.
“King of the North” added:
“My aim is to pace myself. Not rush. There’s 15 minutes, but if the opportunity arises for me to finish the fight, I will always try and finish the fight.”
