Trey Ogden Sees VFC 55 as the Set-Up Toward a UFC Run | MMAWeekly.com

In his second full year as a pro MMA fighter, welterweight Trey Ogden has begun to solidify his position as a top prospect in the Midwest region.

After suffering the lone loss of his career in September of 2015, Ogden has since been undefeated, picking up three finishes in four fights.

“I’m on a four-fight winning streak since December of last year,” Ogden told MMAWeekly.com. “I’ve grown a ton, faced good competition, and gained experience. I couldn’t ask for more. Things couldn’t have gone much better.”

Over the course of 2016, Ogden has shown growth inside the cage and outside it as well; becoming a more well-developed person overall in addition to his fighting skills.

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“I’ve grown quite a bit technically,” said Ogden. “This is my second year as a pro, so just a whole another year of fighting and fighting on bigger shows like Bellator has seasoned me a bit.

I’ve matured quite a bit as a fighter and a person. I’m training every day consistently with two teams. I’m learning and am integrating these lessons quite well. I feel like I’ve progressed technically as much as I’ve grown in experience, for sure, if not more.”

Ogden (5-1) will seek to remain undefeated in 2016 when he takes on Josh Pfeifer (5-2) in a main card 170-pound bout at Victory FC 55 on Friday in Topeka, Kan., on UFC Fight Pass.

“I heard he just got his brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu, so I like having a fight against a tough, technical, experienced opponent,” Ogden said of Pfeifer. “He’s 5-2, so he’s winning well. I really like the challenge.

“As far as what I can do to win the fight; I think the only person that can beat me is myself. I’ve got to show up, fight my fight, and take what I see.”

Picking up a strong win on a highly visible card at VFC 55 would be a big boost for Ogden, and he sees it as helping him set up for a final building year before making his push to the top stage of MMA.

“I kind of think long-term, but I also focus really on what’s in front of me right now,” said Ogden. “For 2017, I’d like to fight six times.

“I fought four times last year and four times this year, so next year I’d like to fight six times and really position myself to make a legitimate run for the UFC the next year (in 2018). That’s my main goal for MMA right now as far as that’s concerned.”

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