UFC 161's Sam Stout discusses added pressure, opponent's biggest threat

WINNIPEG, Canada – Sam Stout doesn’t want to take anything for granted, but come Saturday night at UFC 161, he knows he’s got just about every factor working in his favor. That could make it a long night for opponent James Krause.

Stout (20-8-1 MMA, 8-7 UFC), a veteran lightweight who competes for the 16th time under the UFC banner, meets injury replacement and promotional newcomer Krause (19-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC 161, which takes place at MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Their bout, which is part of the FX-televised preliminary card, pits a UFC newbie against a fighter who entered the octagon for the first time way back in 2006.

“I can’t count on him having the first-fight jitters, but I’ve experienced it before,” Stout today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “He’s been trying to get into the UFC for a long time, and now it’s his big chance.”

Stout’s never really been at the top of the UFC’s lightweight title picture. But the 29-year-old is as tough as they come. He’s 6-2 in his past fights while racking up wins against the likes of Matt Wiman, Joe Lauzon and Spencer Fisher. He’s also collected four “Fight of the Night” bonuses and a “KO of the Night” award during that span. The fact he’s fighting in his home country is another point in his favor.

“I love fighting on all these Canadian cards,” he said. “I get on as many of them as possible. … Anytime you come out, you can feel the difference in the atmosphere in Canada as opposed to anywhere else.”

And Krause?

“He’s a relatively unknown guy, so he’s got a lot to gain but not a lot to lose,” Stout said. “So it really depends on how you look at it.”

Initially preparing for a fight with Isaac Vallie-Flagg, Stout learned just two weeks ago he’s fighting Krause instead. The former WEC and Bellator fighter presents a different challenge, and Stout is keenly aware of his opponent’s seven-fight win streak, which includes some highlight-reel finishes.

The towering fighter is clearly a threat in a lot of areas, but one sticks out to Stout.

“Any time you fight a guy who’s 6-foot-2 at 155 pounds guys – I think that’s big biggest threat honestly,” he said.

Stout mentioned the fighter’s reach, as well as his ability to wrap up submissions with his long limbs. And though Krause has usually come short in such bouts, the 27-year-old has faced some truly notables names, including Donald Cerrone and Ricardo Lamas.

Coming off a split-decision win over Strikeforce import Caros Fodor, Stout now wants to string together some wins and build momentum. That’s been the hardest thing in his career. Although he’s 10-7 since late 2006, he’s never won more two consecutive fights.

But he thinks that could soon change, and it starts on Saturday.

“The fact I’m fighting at home and that he’s on my turf and it’s his first fight in the UFC, I think that’s going to give me another advantage,” he said. “I’m trying to start building some momentum. Coming off the win in the last one, it was a tough one, but I got the win. I’m feeling real healthy for this one. I’m feeling really good.”

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