Brandon Thatch discusses losing skid and chance to rebound at UFC 207

DENVER – When Brandon Thatch had his 10-fight winning streak snapped by Benson Henderson in a “Fight of the Night” winner nearly two years ago, there was little shame.

Then just three fights into his UFC career, he fought the former champ with little time to prepare for him after Henderson stepped up when Stephen Thompson pulled out. It was the main event of UFC Fight Night 60 in front of his home Denver fans, to boot.

Thatch got to the fourth round against Henderson before tapping to a rear-naked choke. Amazingly, the 10 fights he had before that were all first-round stoppage victories, including his first two in the UFC.

He probably couldn’t have been prepared to lose two straight after that, and then a third in a row earlier this year, though. Gunnar Nelson submitted him at UFC 189, and Siyar Bahadurzada tapped him at UFC 196.

“I lost to some studs – it wasn’t like they were Joe Schmoes,” Thatch told MMAjunkie when we recently caught up with him at his home Elevation Fight Team training base at the MusclePharm gym in Denver. “I fought against Benson and top-10 level guys. It is what it is: I stumbled, and it’s time to pick myself up and get back on track.”

On Friday, Thatch has a chance to rebound – and needs to in a big way. After original opponent Sabah Homasi had to pull out earlier this month, Thatch (11-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC) now meets UFC newcomer Niko Price (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) to open up UFC 207, which takes place Friday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass, including Thatch-Price.

“There’s nothing else I can say but it’s humbling,” Thatch said. “You lick your wounds, you go home, you be surrounded by your loved ones who couldn’t care less if you win or lose, and you get back to the gym and you grind it. … I licked my wounds and (I’ll) come back stronger. There’s nothing else I could have done.”

Check out the video interview with Tatch from MusclePharm in Denver above. Then don’t miss his fight against Price at UFC 207 on Friday on UFC Fight Pass.

And for more on UFC 207, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.