Athletes
Dustin Stoltzfus | Embracing The Grind
UFC Middleweight Dustin Stoltzfus Is Growing In Confidence As He Prepares To Face Nursulton Ruziboev At UFC Fight Night: Burns vs Morales
When he’s not teaching or training at a mixed martial arts gym, UFC middleweight Dustin Stoltzfus is likely off the grid, hiking up or snowboarding down a mountain. The Pennsylvania native has spent his last few training camps in the Fight Capital of the World and makes it a priority to devote as much time as his schedule allows to enjoying nature.
“I don’t think I could do this or much anything else if I didn’t get my time in green or time in nature,” Stoltzfus said. “Usually when I’m out here in Vegas I’m out in the desert a lot more than I was this time, but as soon as my team came and [camp] was tapering down, we were going on hikes pretty much every other day It does my soul good to be out there in the fresh air, hearing the wind in the mountains or trees. It’s my happy place.”
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But as soon as he gets back to his car, it’s time to work. Whether it’s coaching or preparing to face a dangerous prospect at UFC Fight Night: Burns vs Morales on May 17, Stoltzfus spends the rest of his waking hours chasing the best version of himself inside the Octagon.
The 33-year-old has walked this road 23 times over the last decade, and he’s not tired of it one bit. Mixed martial arts is both a hobby and a career for Stoltzfus, so while most fighters wish they could fast-forward through the unrelenting demands of fight camp, Stoltzfus understands it’s par for the course and tries to soak in every moment he can, knowing that living the life of a fighter can’t last forever.
“I do really like martial arts, and even when I’m not fighting, not in camp, I’m in the gym every day,” Stoltzfus said. “I’ve got my own gym back in Germany. I teach classes, I train myself. I’m never off, unless I’m not around any gyms. Otherwise, I’m always training.
“It does turn into a grind, especially with the stakes being so high. The nerves really get there, they really start to build, but I’m here for a good time, not a long time, so I just got to enjoy the process while I’m here. It’s not going to last forever.
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“I’m a workhorse kind of person. I don’t need passion to get my stuff done. At the end of the day, if I know this is what I need to do to make weight, this is what I need to do to train, I’m just going to do it. I don’t have to like it.”
All his sacrifices appear to be paying off, as his performances continue to improve. Last time out, Stoltzfus secured his biggest win to date, a first-round knockout of Marc-Andre Barriault, who just last week breezed through Bruno Silva to earn a matchup with rising star Shara Magomedov in Abu Dhabi.
“My confidence has definitely been building my last couple fights,” Stoltzfus said. “Even in the Bruno fight, I was feeling really good, and I felt like I was putting the hurt on him pretty good. I’ve been making the right steps, the right progressions. It’s been getting better for me. I’m a nervous fighter, a lot of us are, so getting over that, trusting myself a little bit more and trusting my ability has been a huge thing.”
This Saturday, Stoltzfus looks to steal the hype behind surging prospect Nursulton Ruziboev, who boasts a video game stat line of 33 finishes in 35 wins. He’s also won 11 of his last 12, with his only defeat coming to No. 7 ranked welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley, who collides with former champion Kamaru Usman next month in Atlanta.
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While those figures are typically unheard of, they don’t deter Stoltzfus’ confidence one bit. Now nine fights into his UFC career, Stoltzfus believes he has the experience and physical tools to hand Ruziboev his second defeat in the Octagon.
“I think I’m definitely better rounded and have more power,” Stoltzfus said. “He has some good, sharp boxing, but I think I’ve been in this long enough and seen enough and done enough that my power and wrestling, if I set everything up right, could be too much for him.
“I just gotta stay calm, keep my head on straight and not run into anything. “That’s been a problem that I’ve had before, getting a little too overanxious, and I can’t do that. I got to stick to my gameplan, stick to the things I know I can do well and then I think we’ll get the win.”
UFC Fight Night: Burns vs Morales took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 17, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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