LAS VEGAS – MMA is a young man’s game. However, not if you’re Davey Grant.
While many are retiring in their mid-to-late 30s, Grant (16-8 MMA, 9-7 UFC), a 40-year-old veteran competing in the UFC’s bantamweight division, thinks he has yet to reach his best form. The Englishman picked up his 24th win Saturday against UFC newcomer Adrian Luna Martinetti (17-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who’s 10 years younger. Grant defeated Martinetti in a hard-fought unanimous decision that won Fight of the Night honors on the main card of UFC Fight Night 274 at the Meta Apex.
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“To be honest, I feel great, and I still feel like I’m getting better,” Grant told MMA Junkie and other reporters after his win at the post-fight press conference. “I’m still learning. The one thing that comes with age is experience, and you only get experience from experience. I’ve been in there and done it a few times, still feel like I’m getting better, still trying to put the performances out there, and just blessed to be still living this life. I just honestly have to pinch myself. I just feel so lucky that I’ve managed to do what I love for a living with so many people that I love.”
Feeling good and now coming off a win, Grant hopes he doesn’t sit out too long. He’d like to return to the cage by the end of summer, and try to get back-to-back wins.
“I want to definitely get back out there,” Grant said. “We’ll have a little bit of time – just concentrate on my coaching for a little bit and helping out the other guys in the gym before I start getting at it too hard. But definitely back maybe the end of the summer or something. Last year, I had four weight cuts in about 10 months, and it was a bit much. I don’t want to be cutting weight as often as that. It was a little bit – just maybe one too many. So if we can get another two in within the next 12 months, type thing, I think that’ll be about right.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC’s Davey Grant admits he’s getting better – a little better all the time
