Titan Fighting 19: James Krause Sees Himself as More Dangerous than Clay French

Donald Cerrone and James Krause at WEC 41

Following a stretch where he lost three of his last four fights, former WEC fighter James Krause knows how motivating it is to get back on the winning track.

“They say you’re only as good as your last fight, so it’s definitely good to get a win,” said Krause of his TKO victory over Nathan Schut this past March. “I took that year off, and it was awesome to get back in there and get a win like that. It really helped out a lot.”

Eager to capitalize on his success, Krause returns to action Friday night as half of the main event at Titan FC 19 in The Historic Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan.

“I’ve been working on a lot of the same things; boxing and trying to develop my striking a little bit more, and putting more of an emphasis on strength and conditioning for this fight,” said Krause.

Having his conditioning at optimal levels could be one of a series of keys for Krause as he takes on King of the Cage and Sengoku veteran Clay French.

“I typically match up well with wrestlers,” he said. “I’m six-foot-two, so I have eight inches of height on him. So you’ve got to figure that my reach is going to play a big part in it.

“He likes to come out and strike for a couple minutes, but in all his fights, he always ends up shooting (in for a takedown). I’ve got to stay sharp, stay patient, keep my range and look out for that shot, because I know he’ll eventually go for it.”

With his physical advantages and his game plan, Krause doesn’t see a reason why he won’t pick up his second win in a row.

“I feel like I pose a lot of problems for him,” Krause told MMAWeekly.com. “I feel like I’m dangerous in more places than he is.”

While a win over French could help re-establish Krause and get him back on track towards bigger events, he’s mindful to not get starry-eyed and forsake the present for the future.

“Obviously, I’m working to get back to the UFC or Strikeforce or something like that, but I want to take it one fight at a time, keep racking up wins and not get ahead of myself,” he said. “I don’t want to start thinking about other people until I get past the guy that’s right in front of me.

“Especially against a guy like Clay French who’s been around for a long time; you don’t want to overlook a guy like that. You don’t want to overlook anybody, but especially a guy like Clay who has over 20 fights, big show experience, and goes in there composed and knowing what he’s got to do.”

After taking some time off to right himself, Krause has taken the first step on getting back on the right path. Friday night in Kansas City, he could move that much closer to making his goal of returning to the top a reality.

“Definitely come check out Titan; it’s going to be an awesome card that’s stacked from top to bottom,” he concluded. “I don’t know the last time I’ve been as excited for a card and a fight. Come out to the show or watch it on TV on HDNet.”