Karl Roberson 'coming for everybody' as classic UFC climb to top gets underway

NORFOLK, Va. – Karl Roberson has no problem being honest about his career intentions following a successful UFC debut on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 120. Why? Because he knows everyone else in the sport is thinking the same.

Roberson (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who earned a first-round submission victory over Darren Stewart (7-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in a UFC Fight Pass-streamed middleweight bout at Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Va., is early in his career and has an ambitious mindset. Naturally, that has him gunning for the top.

“Everybody wants the belt,” Stewart told MMAjunkie following his victory. “What’s the point of being in this type of sport if you don’t want to be the best? I’m here to be the best. Top 10, top five, No. 1 (contender), champion. I’m coming for everybody.”

After earning a UFC contract with a 15-second TKO win on Dana White’s Contender Series 3 in August, Roberson said he wanted to deliver big in his official octagon debut.

“The win on the Contender Series was stressful,” Roberson said. “It was like the opening to everything. It either happened, or you’ve got to start all over again. Now I got to the big show; now I can have fun. Now I can show every part of my game. Now it’s time to really enjoy it.”

Roberson, 27, said he felt his ground game was being discounted in the lead-up to the contest. He managed to tap out Stewart in less than 4 minutes, though, and he said future opponents must be aware of what he can do.

“Everyone thinks I’m just a kickboxer; I’m dangerous everywhere,” Roberson said. “When he started wrestling, I got the hip toss on him, I knew we had time left in the round. So when I got his back there’s nothing he can do there.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 120, check out the UFC Events section of the site.