Gauge Young: 'Expected A Calculated Individual'

Of course, you never know for sure until you know for sure, and despite bouncing back from a decision loss to Quillan Salkilld on Dana White’s Contender Series with a knockout of Eric Grant in December, Young’s confidence began to wane as UFC Kansas City grew closer.

“I was starting to lose hope a little bit and the weeks just kept going by and I hadn't heard anything,” he said. “I was preparing for a fight next weekend, so I was starting to forget about the whole UFC Kansas City thing and I was just focusing on my own fight. But they called me last Friday, late at night, and offered me the fight and we took it. So yeah, it's kind of crazy how it happened.”

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Obviously, he was going to say yes, regardless of opponent. But when it was Elder, it made perfect sense to him.

“I had a good feeling who it was,” said Young. “I'd said seven weeks beforehand that if I have to, I'll fight Evan Elder. And whenever I got that phone call and they said somebody pulled out, I kind of knew that it was going to be Evan. As unfortunate as it is, me and Evan used to train together a little bit a handful of years ago and it is what it is, man. We talked and it's all good. We know it's just business and we'll celebrate together after the fight, regardless of the situation.”

Right now, the situation is all positive. Despite living close to the venue, Young is staying in the host hotel to get away from any distractions, and as far as all the hype that goes along with fighting in the UFC, “Gee Money” has been through a lot of fight weeks before that resembled this one.

“I think going through the Contender Series process kind of warmed me up to what the UFC process is going to be like, and I'm a student of the game,” he said. “I'm watching all these fighters, vlogs, and I'm keeping up with everything the UFC does. So I know what it's like back there, the poster signings and walking through the arena. I've been there before. I've cornered in the UFC at the highest level, too, so I've been there and seen it a few times and yeah, I know what I'm getting into. It's not going to be anything new.”

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So, no UFC speech from his coaches – and UFC vets – Zak Cummings and Jason High?

“No, they know I'm ready for it. They just told me it's time to put my gangster pants on.”

And what will the gangster pants-wearing Mr. Young be bringing to T-Mobile Center?

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“Expect a calculated individual, a guy who understands range, a guy who understands space and how to manipulate it, and a guy who has a hell of a right hand on him, too,” he said. “I understand how I have to beat this guy, the game I have to play with him, and yeah, I'm going to go out there and just be present in the moment and they'll see a confident kid, a kid that's going to leave his heart out there. And regardless of the decision, win, lose or draw, I'm going to go out there and perform and people will see that I'm there to fight.”