If He Hurts Shalorus Like Varner Did, Palaszewski Plans to Pounce

Bart Palaszewski (right) | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

“From what I’ve seen, he gets out there and swings and doesn’t utilize his wrestling at all,” Palaszewski said Monday during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network. “As long as we keep on our feet, I think I’ll be good.”

Despite his international-level resume in wrestling, Shalorus has shown a penchant for fighting on the feet. The strategy hasn’t given him a loss yet: He’s 2-0-1 in the WEC with a draw against Jamie Varner. Accordingly, Palaszewski thinks Shalorus will stick with his usual game plan.

“He’s going to be coming forward, I think,” Palaszewski said. “Supposedly he’s been working his boxing, but you know, with wide punches and just going crazy and trying to hit me with something. I’ve seen it. He’s not going to show me anything I haven’t seen before. That’s the thing. I’m a much more technical and much more seasoned fighter and a standup fighter. We’re definitely going to clash and, I’m sure, hit each other. He’s going to be pushing forward, and I’m going to be moving around and peppering him with shots.”

Palaszewski has roughly five times the experience of Shalorus in MMA. He’s also won three straight in the WEC. Another win would likely guarantee the UFC picks him up when it merges with the WEC after Thursday’s event.

“If I lose, but I put on a good show and they think I’m worthy and they take me, that’d be great,” Palaszewski said. “But … I’m not going to put on the extra pressure and maybe choke in the cage because I was putting the pressure on. I’m just going to get out there and have fun.”

Palaszewski would consider a toe-to-toe war with Shalorus fun, but he’s also prepared for takedowns.

“I want to stand and bang, but if it hits the ground, I’m not going to be shy and just hold on to him,” Palaszewski said. “I’m going to shoot for a submission.”

Of course Palaszewski will be trying to stuff any shots Shalorus takes. On the feet, he wants to push his Iranian-born opponent to that same place Varner took him in June. Varner appeared to have Shalorus hurt but didn’t put him away.

“He got clipped a few times from Varner, but Varner never jumped on him,” Palaszewski said. “I think that was the downfall of Jamie. I know he could have finished him, but he chose to kind of pick his shots. Instead of jumping on him when he got him hurt, he kind of backed off.”

Palaszewski has a different plan.

“Jamie got him hurt, but I don’t know if he didn’t want to jump on him because he didn’t want to get taken down,” he said. “I’m not really worried about it. If I get him hurt, I’m going to jump on him. If I don’t put him away there and end up on my back, I’m not going to cry over spilled milk. I’m just going to keep working for a submission.”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 13:35) with Palaszewski.