Nate Marquardt As a Welterweight: ‘I See This As a Permanent Move’

It appears Nate Marquardt’s move to welterweight will not be an experiment, but a permanent move to a new weight class.

The former middleweight title contender will face Rick Story in the main event of UFC on Versus 4 next weekend in Pittsburgh, and his long term goals are to become the best at 170lbs with no return to 185lbs in sight.

“The way I’m looking at it, it’s a permanent division move. A lot of people are asking about a fight with (Michael) Bisping, and that kind of stuff I would consider, but at the same time I’m going to keep my weight where it’s at right now. I’m not going to try to bulk back up,” Marquardt said on Tuesday.

“I feel way better at this weight, my cardio is excellent, I feel 100%, I can train 100% everyday and I just feel like an animal.”

To make the cut down to 170lbs, Marquardt is working with nutritionist P.R. Cole, and the Colorado fighter has no worries at all about making weight next Saturday before facing Story.

“My weight right now is very good. I’m really not worried about the weigh cut, it’s something I’ve done in the past and this time I actually have a dietician as well helping me out so I’m really not worried. I’m just focused on the fight,” said Marquardt.

“The weigh cut’s nothing serious for me.”

The move to welterweight for Marquardt comes after going 5-2 in his last 7 fights, but missing out on a middleweight title shot in the two losses to Yushin Okami and Chael Sonnen.

While there is still a hurdle in front of him in the welterweight division because Marquardt is a long time training partner and friend of UFC champion Georges St-Pierre, overall he believes this will be his new home from now on.

“I see it as a permanent move,” Marquardt stated.

Marquardt definitely is not going to take an easy path for his introduction to the division facing Rick Story who is currently riding a six fight win streak including his recent victory over Thiago Alves at UFC 130.

Marquardt and story will headline the UFC on Versus 4 show from Pittsburgh’s Consol Energy Center next Sunday.

Damon Martin is the lead staff writer and radio host for MMAWeekly.com.
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