Athletes
Drew Dober: Making Every Moment Count
Lightweight Drew Dober Can’t Wait To Produce Fireworks Against Bobby Green At UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Strickland
Drew Dober always knew he would cross paths with Bobby Green.
“Not only have we had eyes on each other, but we’ve talked about it on numerous occasions. ‘One of these days we are going to fight each other,’” Dober said. “I didn’t even know he was an option in December and then as soon as his name came through, I was like, absolutely we’re finally doing it, and the stars lined up. The audience is in for a treat.”
The two lightweights have 10 bonuses combined, making their bout on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Strickland a must-see matchup. Even though Dober is eager to face an exciting opponent, he is bummed that it won’t be in front of an arena crowd, as the event is taking place at the UFC APEX.
Don't Miss Dober Face Green On Saturday Night!
The intimate environment that comes along with fighting in the quiet APEX building is the only thing that intrigues Dober when he faces Green. It allows him to hear what Green will be saying to him in the cage.
“There are so many attributes about him that make him fun to watch,” Dober said. “My favorite thing about this sport is seeing how I perform against other monsters. We got a monster on Saturday night, and I want to rise to the occasion and put forth a memory.”
Drew Dober Fight Week Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Strickland
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Drew Dober Fight Week Interview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Strickland
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Last time out, Dober faced another unpredictable fighter inside the Octagon, Rafael Alves, at UFC 277 in Dallas. Dober earned his second victory of 2022, defeating Alves by knockout with a kick to the body in the third round. The showstopping kick earned Dober a Performance of the Night bonus.
Heading into the fight, Dober knew he would have to “roll with the punches” while facing someone with a style that ensured that he didn’t know when or what they were going to do inside the cage. He’s hoping to relay that same excitement in his fight against Green on Saturday night.
MORE UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Fight By Fight Preview | On The Rise | Sean Strickland | Jared Cannonier | Best of Dober
“I knew how athletic (Alves) was, I knew how talented he is, but that charisma he brought into that fight was something that was just part of that fight and that’s what I look for in fights, especially with Bobby,” Dober said. “Just bringing something that you’ve haven’t seen before, something fun, something exciting. Win or lose, it is something to be remembered and something people are talking about.”
The 34-year-old has faced a variety of fighters since making his UFC debut back in 2013. He has had a mixed result of winning streaks and losing streaks. Last year, he lost to newly crowned champion Islam Makhachev and Brad Riddell. Even though he lost by unanimous decision to Riddell, he believed it helped him turn things around for this year.
“I think that Brad Riddell fight really taught me a lesson of unfortunate fruition of hunting and tunnel vision,” Dober said. “My last two fights we were able to open up and be creative, and I always have power and durability, but now we’re going to have fun with it. I’m going to find other ways to put him to the canvas.”
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Dober’s passion and love for the fight game is one of the reasons that he believes he has had success in the Octagon. He said that fighting is only one-third of life, so he wants to make every moment count.
“It’s just a glorified hobby and I get to do this, I get to be in front of you guys, I get to hold the microphone,” Dober said. “That’s why I’m enjoying every moment I can. I’m in love with fighting. Being in front of Bobby and seeing who can punch each other harder excites me so much and this is what I love to do.”
There’s no doubt that Dober wants to close out 2022 with his third straight victory. He aims to increase his volume of fighting and compete as many times as he possibly can.
But his motivation to do well in his fights is not just for himself anymore, as he announced that he will become a father in June of 2023, which will be an exciting, unpredictable new chapter in his life.
“It’s something that I can’t predict,” Dober said. “It’s one of those things where I have been feeding myself and the fight game for so long and now, I have to feed somebody else. It’s extra added motivation and I get to see what this dad strength is that I’m hearing about. 2023 is going to be something different and something special and I can’t wait to see it for myself.”
UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Strickland took place live from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on December 17, 2022. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
