After spending time pursuing other combat sports, heavyweight Maurice Greene returned to MMA in 2017 with back-to-back wins, picking up where he had left off over a year prior.
First against Jermaine McDermott in in August at LFA 19, then versus Parnell Davis just over a month later at No Mercy 6, Green was able to pick up first round submission wins, raising his winning streak to four fights overall in the process.
“I just think (Davis) wasn’t really ready for that,” Greene told MMAWeekly.com. “That’s how that one went. The Jermaine McDermott fight, it went well. I was out of shape, but I thought I fought pretty well with what I had.
“Going into this year I’m making sure I’m in shape and I’m the best me going into that cage.”
Along with stints focusing on kickboxing, Green’s business outside of MMA had kept him from having the kind of consistency in the sport he’d like. But now after some changes he’ll be able to focus on MMA more in 2018.
“For the last couple of years I’ve been working full time, so that’s the inconsistencies in the fight,” said Greene. “Now I’m not doing that. I probably won’t take a fight every couple months. I’m trying to get a big fight and get something I can make a living on, and then come back and be the best me.
“If I can get in three good fights a year, I’ll be happy.”
On Friday in Minneapolis, Minn., Greene (5-1) will be stepping into a Legacy Fighting Alliance heavyweight championship main event against Jeff Hughes (8-1).
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“I’ll fight anybody,” Green said. “It just happens to be Jeff Hughes, and he just happens to have a strap I want.
“Really the fight is just me going in there and being first and doing what I do, and dictating the fight and making him fight my game. That’s what’s going to be done. Hopefully he’s prepared for that, but I don’t think he’ll be prepared for what’s on the other side of the cage on April 27.”
For Greene, winning the LFA heavyweight title will be a big step forward in his career, and could contribute to him becoming a breakout fighter in his division in 2018.
“The title means everything to me,” said Greene. “I’ll be ready to defend it as long as I’m not injured. That’s always a goal of mine, to get the gold and keep it as long as I can.
“There’s big, there’s strong, there are good heavyweights, and that’s great, but we’re all big and strong, and good enough to be there, but people want to see that entertainment aspect. They want you to do everything that I’m good at. I just happen to be good at fighting as well.”
