UFC Fight Night 58's Patrick Cummins wants rematch with Cormier for 205 belt

UFC light heavyweight Patrick Cummins calls the past year of his athletic career “pretty intense,” and it’s no wonder why.

“From having four fights over the course of four years, and now I’m entering my fourth fight just this year, it’s very different,” Cummins today told MMAjunkie Radio.

Of course, it’s a good different. Before the UFC swooped in and signed him to fight Daniel Cormier at UFC 170, his future wasn’t bright. It looked a lot like lots of hours on the mat and lattes, which he famously served before UFC President Dana White offered him a contract.

“I’m actually not a coffee drinker, as weird as that is,” Cummins said. “I hate the smell.”

Now, the former Division I wrestler can train full-time, and as his resume attests, the promotion is giving him a lot of work.

On Saturday, Cummins 6-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), 34, meets Brazilian Antonio Carlos Junior (4-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 58, which takes place at Jose Correa Arena in Barueri, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The pair fight on the FOX Sports 1-televised main card following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

After a first-round TKO loss to Cormier in February, Cummins won two straight in the UFC in two months. He most recently fought in July, so while he’s had some time to rest, he hasn’t necessarily had time to rest easy.

“This is definitely the way I prefer it,” he said. “I want to gain that experience that I think is the missing link in my game.”

When he met Cormier, he was a massive underdog not only because of Cormier’s superior wrestling credentials, but his superior level of experience in high-level MMA competition. Cummins was essentially thrust into the spotlight with none of that, and it showed.

Despite the harsh lesson he received, Cummins is rooting for his former training partner when he takes on champ Jon Jones next month at UFC 182. Of course, it’s a self-serving endorsement.

“I think he has what it takes to bring (Jones) down,” he said. “But ultimately, it’s because when I get my revenge on D.C., I want to take the belt with me, too.”

First, he needs to build up the credentials to make a rematch with Cormier logical for the UFC, which needs contenders in an aging 205-pound division. Junior is not the kind of opponent who will earn him a title shot, but it offers the promise of building his resume.

A winner of The Ultimate Fighter 3,” Junior is making his first UFC appearance since his reality-show turn. He is undefeated at 4-0, with just three fewer pro fights to his name.

“It’s definitely something I’m looking forward to,” Cummins said. “In the past, I’ve had a good record with going into enemy territory. I’m looking forward to that silence after I win, because the crowd isn’t going to be cheering for me.

“I consider this fight my future. I really don’t have anyone on my radar who’s going to be next. I’ll save all that talk for a couple months from now. Right now, this is the ticket to success for me; focusing on this fight and doing what I’m capable of.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 58, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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