Rashad Coulter Legacy Fighting Alliance 1 Opponent Joel Moore 'Doesn't Like Getting Punched' | MMAWeekly.com

Across multiple combat sports and multiple weight classes, heavyweight Rashad Coulter made the most of his year in 2017, going undefeated for the third straight year.

“I fought a total of three times last year and did great,” Coulter told MMAWeekly.com. “I won a belt for a local (MMA) promotion, the XKO, at 205lbs. I had a boxing match back in August, so I went to 4-0 boxing with that win with a first round knockout. I made my Legacy debut in October and got another first round KO for them.

“So 2016 was a good year for me. I fought three times and got three first round knockouts.”

While he has fought in two weight classes this year, Coulter realizes that there’s more opportunity in one division in the other.

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“Right now I kind of want to stay at heavyweight, but I would love to fight at light-heavyweight too,” said Coulter. “The heavyweight division is a little more open and is and needs more talent. I believe I can rise faster at heavyweight than I can in the 205-pound division. But I am open to taking fights at 205-pounds.”

Coulter (7-1) will look to keep his winning ways going when he takes on Joel Moore (3-0) in a main card heavyweight bout at Legacy Fighting Alliance 1 on Friday in Dallas.

“He’s undefeated, he’s 3-0, but he beat the same person twice,” Coulter said of Moore. “The thing with him is that he doesn’t commit to anything. He doesn’t throw punches, he just kind of waits for you to come to him. Or he runs or he doesn’t like getting punched in the face, if that’s it.

“In order to get the win against him, I have to press the action, go forward and stop the takedowns. I just need to press forward and push the pace. He’s a big guy, so I have to make him use his cardio. I don’t think his cardio will be there in the later rounds, so I have to make him fight at my pace.”

Looking ahead to 2017, Coulter is focused on making the next step in his career, whatever that may be.

“Honestly the goal for 2017, I am looking at trying to make it to the UFC,” he said. “Yeah I don’t want to rush, but that is my ultimate goal. If I can win impressively (against Moore), hopefully I can get the call from the UFC; or if Legacy would like me to have one more fight with them, I would love to the LFA heavyweight belt.

“That’s something I would like to do as well. So for 2017 it’s either the belt or the UFC – that would be a great accomplishment for me.”

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