In just a matter of a week, bantamweight Cody Stamann’s career went from working his way up the MMA ranks to fighting on the biggest stage the sport has to offer.
Stepping in as a late addition to UFC 213 against Terrion Ware in July of last year, Stamann was able to make the most of his opportunity and pick up a unanimous decision victory. Then three months later he followed it up with a split-decision victory over Tom Duquesnoy at UFC 216.
“My UFC debut (against Ware) was on seven days’ notice,” Stamann told MMAWeekly.com. “That was a real surreal, fast-paced, time. I didn’t have time to think about what the implications were.
“I feel my win over Tom Duquesnoy (three months later), I feel put me in a kind of a contender’s spot. That was a big fight and I won it as well. Now I’m sitting at 2-0 in the UFC and now I’m fighting Top 10 level guys. I’m really kind of watching everything manifested over a lifetime of training. It’s all happened so fast.”
Stamann feels like jumping into the UFC with very little time to think about it helped him, as he simply didn’t have an opportunity to think about anything other than the fight itself.
“Yeah, that’s what it was, I didn’t have time to think or get nervous,” said Stamann. “I only had time to get my medicals done and make weight to fight. A lot of people talk about getting jitters in their UFC debut, but I didn’t have time to get any because everything happened so fast.”
Stamann (16-1) looks to kick of his second year with the promotion in the same way he did his first when he takes on veteran Bryan Caraway (21-7) in a preliminary 135-pound at UFC 222 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
“Caraway is a tough guy,” Stamann said. “He’s really hard to put away in an actual UFC fight. He’s no slacker. He’s been around for a really long time and he’s beaten two guys in the Top 10 in his last two fights, so I’ve got to be at the top of my game.
“Stylistically I think everything he does well, I do better. I think I’m a better athlete. I’m younger. I’ve been more consistent the past couple years. I think I’m going to be the fresher guy, the better athlete, and know where the fight goes I’m the better fighter.”
Having made a successful transition to the UFC, Stamann feels 2018 could be his breakout year and establish him as one of the fighters to watch in the bantamweight division.
“This is going to be the year,” said Stamann. “It’s going to be a really exciting year for me. I told myself I want to be in the Top 10 and be a contender, and this year is the year I think I can (get me there).
“I always knew I could fight against the best in the world. This is something I always knew would happen, I just waited for the opportunity. Now that the opportunity has come, it’s my time to shine and show people what I’m capable of.”
