While he’s picked up two wins in two bouts so far in 2017, welterweight Curtis Millender believes his year could have been even more successful up to this point.
Millender was forced to miss time due to injury, possibly delaying a move he had hoped to make this year that believes ultimately will come in 2018.
“This year I feel like it could be better,” Millender told MMAWeekly.com. “I was out for a few months with a broken hand. I think without that I would have been on my fourth fight of the year instead of only being on my third.
“Fight-wise things have gone according to plan. I want to finish off staying off undefeated in 2017, so I make sure in 2018 I’ll be in the UFC.”
While his hand injury cost him some time, he was able to recover quickly and without issue.
“I recovered pretty fast,” said Millender. “I probably started sparring maybe two months after I had surgery and had it repaired. It healed pretty fast. It wasn’t a bad break. I got back to business pretty fast.”
Millender (23-3) will be seeking his fifth win in a row overall when he takes on Matthew Frincu (11-2) in the LFA 24 main event on Friday in Phoenix.
“I’ve just got to be consistent,” Millender said. “Not let (Frincu) get comfortable, and shut down everything he does. At striking, I feel I’m way better, and I will be able to shut him out and put him down.”
Headlining his second straight LFA fight, Millender believes he’s in a position to make a move to the next level without having to claim a title beforehand.
“I’m sure I can do it without the title,” said Millender. “I believe me and Frincu are the two best welterweights in the LFA, and I just happen to be way better than he is.”
