Chris Padilla ‘misplaced hope many occasions’ on lengthy journey to UFC on ESPN 55

LAS VEGAS – Chris Padilla has been using excessive for a minute now, and after this previous Saturday he hopes the momentum retains on going.

Padilla (14-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made his short-notice UFC debut on the prelims in opposition to James Llontop (14-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 55 and pulled off the occasion’s greatest upset with a second-round submission. Llontop, who additionally was making his UFC debut, was as a lot as a 5-1 favourite.

Though Padilla is simply 28, he stated his journey to the UFC has been greater than half his life.

“Once I say actually 16 years within the making, it was 16 years within the making,” Padilla informed MMA J Junkie and different reporters after UFC on ESPN 55 in Las Vegas. “I informed my coaches – we talked about it – I talked to myself and I informed myself I wasn’t going to hurry a single minute. I do know most individuals wish to get out and in, however nope – I needed all quarter-hour if attainable.”

Padilla gave credit score to his Combat Science MMA coaches for serving to take him to the following stage. Earlier than his present four-fight ending streak, he was mired in a 1-4 rut that included losses in promotions like Bellator and CES MMA.

And going again to 2016, Padilla stated he had an early shot to impress the UFC brass, and it went awry, extending his life exterior the UFC even longer – practically eight extra years, because it turned out.

“I don’t wish to blame exterior forces,” he stated. “I’m going to take duty for myself and say I simply wasn’t prepared. I used to be simply an excessive amount of of a child. I had a chance … the place I fought for ‘Dana White: Lookin’ for a Combat,’ and I fought Jason Gonzalez. He ended up beating me, however I harm him and I rushed to complete and I obtained tremendous determined and I blew all my gasoline. Second spherical, he completed me. So I simply don’t suppose personally I’d’ve been able to combat at this stage.”

These days, although, it’s a distinct story. Padilla thinks he’s prepared to stay round some time.

“I misplaced hope a bunch of occasions, man. I gained’t even mislead you. … Each second was what I imagined,” Padilla stated. “Once I began this sport, I used to be 13 years previous, so I felt like that was the wild West of the UFC, the place it was (all types of) sponsors, Dennis Hallman sporting a thong, all that stuff. I felt like I got here in on the proper time as a result of I don’t know the way I’d have accomplished within the early UFC.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC on ESPN 55.