Not Focused on WSOF Title, Lance Palmer Hones in on Getting Better and Winning Fights

Even though he lost the first fight of his career last year, featherweight Lance “Party” Palmer looks back on 2013 as a big year for himself.

Wins in two of his three fights, including a title win in the RFA, has Palmer feeling good headed into his first fight of 2014 in World Series of Fighting this coming Saturday.

“Last year was a great year because each fight was a learning experience and I got better after each one,” said Palmer. “I won the RFA title and then vacated that to go after the WSOF title (against Georgi Karakhanyan).

“The fight against Georgi, I was winning all components of that fight when I got caught. I was landing punches, landing kicks, landing ground and pound from the top. Even though I lost that fight, a lot of positives came out of it and I’m excited to build off of it.”

Palmer is not the kind of fighter who gets hung up on losses, or wins for that matter. He’s always more focused on improving himself and becoming a better fighter regardless of outcome.

“You’ve got to keep moving forward after every fight,” he said. “Win or lose, you can’t let it get to your head because the next fight could be tougher or easier depending on what happens.

“If you just take everything in stride, you’ll get better from it. I enjoy the process of learning and everything that goes with it.”

Palmer (7-1) will look to rebound off his loss to Karakhanyan when he returns at WSOF 10 this Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas against undefeated prospect Nick Lobosco (7-0).

“In order to get the win, I have to go out there and do the things I do well,” said Palmer. “I’ve got to make the fight my fight and dictate where the fight goes and what happens in it. I know if I get my momentum going, I know he won’t be able to keep up with my pace.

“I know he doesn’t train with the caliber of guys that I train with, so I have a lot of confidence going into the fight. It’s by no means ignorance on his abilities as a fighter, but more so confidence in my abilities as a fighter that will win me the fight.”

A win over Lobosco this Saturday could put Palmer back into title contention, but as he told MMAWeekly.com, that’s not really what’s on his mind going forward this year.

“I’m just worried about whatever comes my way next, I’m not looking forward to another title shot,” said Palmer. “I’d love it, but I have to win this fight to get back to it.

“Right now I’m just focused on improving after each fight and if I get back to a title shot, it’ll happen the way it’s supposed to happen. I know Georgi’s a great fighter and has been around a long time, so it’s great to have had that experience, but we’ll worry about a rematch after I go out and do what I have to do this weekend.”