Modestas Bukauskas (16-6 MMA, 4-4 UFC) made good on his first time preventing in his residence nation within the UFC, submitting Marcin Prachnio with an arm triangle choke within the third spherical of their UFC 304 mild heavyweight contest final Saturday.
The night time featured lots of firsts for “The Baltic Gladiator”: his first UFC takedowns, his first UFC submission, and, in fact, his first UFC look in the UK.
Bukauskas had fought his earlier 4 UFC fights in enemy territory: Khalil Rountree Jr. and Zac Pauga in america on the Apex; Tyson Pedro in Perth, Western Australia; and Vitor Petrino in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
So Bukauskas mentioned it felt “spectacular” to be the hometown favourite for the primary time in his UFC profession when he fought on the Co-op Dwell in Manchester. Bukauskas was born in Lithuania however moved to London years in the past.
“I can’t even put into phrases how superb it felt to struggle at residence in entrance of a hometown crowd,” Bukauskas advised MMASucka. “I believe a giant issue for me to attach with the gang was to deliver the British flag together with me to weigh-ins to spotlight the very fact I’ve been residing right here for a really very long time. Though I’m Lithuanian born, I say on a regular basis, bred in Britain. I’m from London. Even once I talked on the mic, I believe folks might hear the place I’ve resided most of my life. To exit in entrance of the place individuals are cheering for you, to exit in an area the place you’re feeling such as you’re residence. Simply outdoors the resort and individuals are asking for pictures. Connecting with folks. Simply being in Manchester.”
Bukauskas mentioned he had a really “tight-knit, group of fantastic folks” with him throughout struggle week. His associates would get him something he wanted simply because of the acquainted nature of Manchester, in comparison with the international lands Bukauskas had been preventing in over his final a number of UFC appearances.
“I actually do like Manchester, it’s a terrific metropolis,” he mentioned. “I obtained residence and it felt simple. You’re not in an unknown territory or an unknown land. It’s not like literal fog over the land and you’ll’t see something. Right here, I used to be very nicely conscious of the place I used to be and the place every little thing was. It was nice. It was positively summed up and visualized since I obtained signed to the UFC, even the primary time. So for it to lastly occur exhibits that desires do come true.”
Bukauskas had fought in the UK on the regional circuit a number of occasions earlier than, however his first UFC look on residence soil “hit fully totally different,” he mentioned. He famous he obtained to struggle in a model new, huge area. He mentioned there have been lots of people within the crowd, even when it wasn’t but packed out totally as a result of his struggle was on the early prelims portion of the pay-per-view card.
“Mate, preventing in a large area with a great deal of folks screaming, a giant cage. It’s what desires are made from. I’d been so used to preventing on the Indigo. I went to look at the Cage Warriors present in London. Though the environment was nice, there’s nothing like being within the area on the Co-op with everybody screaming. It was one thing fully totally different. It was loopy.”
Bukauskas mentioned he has “combined emotions” about his win over Prachnio.
“There are issues I did good and there are issues I didn’t do good. On the similar time, I placed on an entertaining struggle for the followers, which was well-received. Meaning quite a bit to me; to ensure I placed on entertaining fights and I used to be in a position to do this. Clearly, I be ok with that.”
Bukauskas and Prachnio every landed large photographs in the course of the struggle.
Bukauskas mentioned he had drilled wrestling quite a bit in his coaching within the lead as much as the Prachnio struggle, however the message from his coaches was, “For those who see it, take it, however don’t drive it.”
“They mentioned, ‘Don’t drive it, as a result of when you’re successful the stand-up, what’s really the purpose of going for the takedown while you don’t must?’” Bukauskas mentioned. “They only mentioned to really feel it because it comes. Clearly, within the struggle, I simply felt it. With it was introduced to me, I simply took it. Coaching with larger guys helps to make these elements quite a bit simpler.”
Bukauskas mounted Prachnio a few minutes into the third. Former UFC champions turned coloration commentators Daniel Cormier and Michael Bisping might be heard on ESPN commentary saying Bukauskas wanted to modify to the opposite aspect of Prachnio to finish an arm triangle choke – seconds earlier than Prachnio tapped. Bukauskas mentioned it was “a bit of each” his energy and method that compelled the faucet, as he felt he had “a extremely good chew” on the try.
“Not solely that, one in all my coaches, Sebastian [Heil], he mentioned, ‘Modestas, you don’t must step to the opposite aspect.’ Not solely might I hear Marcin gurgling, however so might he,” Bukauskas mentioned, noting he might hear his nook in the course of the submission try. “He mentioned, ‘Modestas, when you don’t wish to step over to the opposite aspect, you don’t must. I believe you’ve obtained it.’ That’s why I saved squeezing at that time, as a result of as you noticed, my foot was in place, able to go. I used to be able to step over. We didn’t wish to create any scrambles if it was tight and it was in that place, I used to be good. Technically, you’re proper. Textbook-wise, that may’ve been the right factor to do. However on the time, judging by the state of affairs, we figured, ‘ what? We don’t must step over to the opposite aspect as a result of it was already tight.’”
Bukauskas mentioned he knew his shoulder was on Prachnio’s throat. Whereas it was Bukauskas’s first profession arm triangle choke – his different two skilled submissions got here by way of rear bare choke – he will get the arm triangle “rather a lot” in coaching.
“Not essentially from that individual place [Prachnio was in]. I used to be in place to have the ability to leap over to the opposite aspect if I wanted to, however it was already very tight. I believe Marcin at that time obtained overwhelmed on the ground, although he did an incredible job with the stand-up. I believe he obtained overwhelmed on the ground already, and I didn’t must go over to the opposite aspect.”
Bukauskas mentioned he known as out Ovince St. Preux for a showdown this fall earlier than he knew “OSP” was already booked to struggle Ryan Spann in September.
“It might be nice to struggle a legend of the game,” Bukauskas mentioned of St. Preux. “He’s fought all the highest guys within the sport, so I wish to check myself in opposition to him. He additionally had an excellent win in opposition to Kennedy Nzechukwu. I suppose Kennedy Nzechukwu could be an attention-grabbing struggle. Dominick Reyes is one other attention-grabbing struggle; very harmful. There are a few guys within the division. I’ll take it struggle by struggle, little by little. In the end, we’re simply attempting to get towards the highest. No matter route that’s, I’ll take it.”
Bukauskas mentioned he hopes to struggle by the tip of October relying on how he recovers following his win over Prachnio.
“I’ll get again into coaching subsequent week and see what my coaches say and the way I really feel.”
Featured Picture credit score:Embed from Getty Photographs
