Video: After second octagon win, Sean Spencer angling for spot on UFC’s Dallas return

LAS VEGAS – Ten months after a disappointing UFC debut, Sean Spencer is riding a two-fight winning streak and looking ahead to what he can accomplish next year. And if he has his way, that campaign will start on March 15 at UFC 171 in Dallas.

“I would love to get on that card and show off for Dallas, Texas,” Spencer said after his latest victory.

Spencer, a Virginia native, made his UFC debut in January but suffered a submission loss to Rafael Natal. However, he bounced back in September, traveling to Brazil and earning a hard-fought decision win over Yuri Villefort.

On Saturday, Spencer (11-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) met replacement opponent Drew Dober (13-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the preliminary card of The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale, which took place at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center. Spencer controlled the action from start to finish, constantly thwarting Dober’s takedown attempts and peppering him with crisp striking throughout the 15-minute affair. In the end, judges awarded Spencer a clear-cut decision win, 30-27 on all three judges’ cards, moving him to 5-1 in his past six overall contests.

For his next appearance, Spencer said he’d like to fight in Dallas, where he currently lives and trains – and where UFC officials have announced the promotion will visit in March to hold UFC 171 at the city’s American Airlines Center.

“I’m really happy with the way things are going there,” Spencer said. “I have really good training partners, great coaching, a strong team, and we’re doing big things.”

To hear more from Spencer, including how a change in opponents affected his approach and what he thought of his performance, check out the embedded video.

For complete coverage of the TUF 18 Finale, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.