Grundy determined to make up for lost time at UFC 262 after setbacks

Mike Grundy is on a mission to make up for lost time in the UFC – starting next month.
Mike Grundy from Wigan, British mixed martial artist and UFC featherweight fighter, pictured at Elite Fitness Factory, Wigan, prepares for his fight against Makwan Amirkhani, 21st March 2020.Mike Grundy from Wigan, British mixed martial artist and UFC featherweight fighter, pictured at Elite Fitness Factory, Wigan, prepares for his fight against Makwan Amirkhani, 21st March 2020.
Mike Grundy from Wigan, British mixed martial artist and UFC featherweight fighter, pictured at Elite Fitness Factory, Wigan, prepares for his fight against Makwan Amirkhani, 21st March 2020.

The 34-year-old will fly to America for a featherweight matchup with Lando Vannata at UFC 262 in Texas.

It will end a frustrating wait to fight again for Grundy, who was forced to withdraw from his last UFC appearance because of a case of Covid-19 in his team.

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And while Grundy’s full focus is on the May 15 showdown with Vannata, he hopes a victory will be the launchpad for more fights this year as he attempts to add more appearances to his professional MMA record.

“If everything had worked out I could be right up there, I’ve had a few setbacks and this year I want to make up for lost time and get fighting,” said the Wiganer.

“Straight after this I’m good to go as soon as I can.

“I’m always in shape, I’m always training, and so I can always fight. Get me to the cage and I can take care of it.”

Grundy has fought just twice in the UFC – one win and one defeat – but has seen three scheduled fights not take place.

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Injury ruled him out in late 2019, months later the pandemic wiped out a London event, and then earlier this year he had to withdraw from a clash with Nik Lentz in Abu Dhabi when a team member returned a positive test. “I was heartbroken when I found out,” he said. “We drove back from London where we were quarantining, and I then did five days at a hotel on my own, (wife) Debbie was pregnant and because one of my team had had Covid I couldn’t take any risk until I got the negative test.

“The UFC said, ‘Be ready, be ready’ so I’ve been training as hard as ever and now I can’t wait to fight again.”

Grundy, who has since welcomed the birth of his third son, Junior, will have the strange experience of fighting in front of a 17,000 crowd in Texas – against a 29-year-old opponent who made his UFC debut against former champion Tony Ferguson.

“This really is a great card to be a part of, I couldn’t have asked for a better one to be on,” added Grundy.

The former England international wrestler won a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games before switching to MMA, winning 11 of 12 fights before his victorious UFC debut in 2019.

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