James Te Huna is Back in the Right Headspace Ahead of UFC 160

Light heavyweight James Te Huna came into his previous fight with Ryan Jimmo expecting to lose, and has been forced to overcome mental demons as he prepares for his fight with Glover Teixeira this weekend at UFC 160 in Las Vegas.

Everyone remembers Te Huna’s cage walk rendition of “Men In Black” prior to his fight at UFC on Fuel TV 8 in London, but the 31-year-old admits it was his team’s idea to help calm the Australian-based fighter’s nerves.

“The last two weeks before that fight, I was in a bad environment,” Te Huna told The Sydney Morning Herald. I was just thinking too many things at once and thinking negative thoughts.

“That dance just helped clear my head. It was just to try to get me to enjoy it. Before that fight happened, I thought I was going to go out there, get head kicked, get knocked out and lose the fight. That’s how I was feeling.”

But after enlisting the help of world champion boxer Danny Green, Te Huna is in a clear headspace as he looks to break into the Top 10 rankings, in a bid to fight the best in the world.

“Green has made my mental game very strong. He’s a powerful guy upstairs,” said Te Huna. “He’s been telling me how to approach my sessions throughout the whole camp, and it’s taken me to another level.”

Te Huna will come into the fight as an underdog against Teixeira, but it’s a tag he relishes and gives him more motivation as he looks to post his fifth consecutive win inside the Octagon.