Athletes
TERRANCE MCKINNEY | ‘IT’S TIME TO BUILD’
Talented Lightweight Talks About Moving To Florida, Maturing Inside And Outside Of The Octagon
Over the course of his first four years on the UFC roster, Terrance McKinney stood as a tantalizing, but unpredictable figure in the lightweight division, vacillating between scintillating victories and stoppage losses.
After kicking in the door with a seven-second knockout win over Matt Frevola in his short-notice debut, the now 30-year-old McKinney went 4-4 over his next eight bouts, all of which ended inside the distance. But each time he started to build momentum and it felt like he might be poised to embark on a run, he would falter, with his last two years standing as a perfect representation of his up-and-down tendencies.
Entering the year off a submission win that elevated him to 3-1 inside the Octagon, McKinney lost each of his first two starts, falling to Ismael Bonfim and Nazim Sadykhov before rebounding with devastating finishes over Mike Breeden and Brendan Marotte. Once again on a high, the Spokane, Washington native was paired up with Esteban Ribovics to open his 2024 campaign, which ended up being a “one-and-done” for McKinney after getting knocked out by the Argentinian finisher in May.
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“I was listening to Julien, and it gave me time to get used to the system we have at the gym, instead of just rushing it and not being completely with the system that he’s built here,” McKinney said, who moved to Florida and began training at Fusion X-Cel under Julian Williams when asked about waiting until February to return to action following his loss to Ribovics. “It gave me time to get accustomed to Florida, the way we train here, the schedule; everything lined up perfectly.”
Stationed opposite Damir Hadzovic in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, McKinney was more patient than he had been in the past, dominating the dangerous veteran and securing a first-round submission win to get things moving in the right direction again.
The performance felt like a display of maturation from the enigmatic talent, a fact McKinney, who returns to action this weekend against Dana White’s Contender Series grad Viacheslav Borshchev, affirmed while singing the praises of his new surroundings and those he’s working with.
“Having so many UFC fighters around and getting knowledge from so many guys that have been in the game longer than me has been a huge blessing,” he said of training under Williams alongside fellow UFC competitors Mike Davis and Phil Rowe in Orlando. “I feel like every time I’m gonna fight, I’m fully prepared for whatever I’m gonna face.
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“It’s helped me lock in with God, put the partying stuff aside; that’s for kids and I don’t need to be doing that stuff,” added McKinney, who is now married with a young family. “I’m trying to be a great example for my kids and how am I gonna be telling my kids not to do something if I’m out there doing it myself? So I’m cleaning up my act, being more motivated; actually working hard.
“And my coach doesn’t play games, and I like that, especially because I’m not the only UFC fighter in the gym, so he really hammers me to make sure I push myself to my limits. I love being at the gym.”
Some athletes are self-motivated and self-directed, knowing what needs to be done, and how, without any guidance, holding themselves to a high standard on their own, but not everyone is wired that way. Some need greater structure, more of a routine, and someone else steering the ship, guiding them to get the most out of their skills and maximize the talents they have.
It’s never been a question of talent with McKinney, who has a solid wrestling pedigree to go along with his natural explosiveness and sharp ability to manufacture finishes. But by his own admission, there have been times where he’s lacked discipline and direction.
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With those things now in place and a host of experienced fighters in the room every day, the talented lightweight is working to bolster his weapons and focus on the pieces of his game that have cost him in the past, especially his Fight IQ.
“Yes sir, and I’m done with the ‘kill or be killed,’” McKinney said with a smile when asked about taking a more patient approach and improving his decision-making inside the Octagon. “My coaches are like, ‘You’ve got enough highlights, it’s time to put the winning streak together,’ and I’m excited for that.
“Everyone knows and can see that I’ve got the tools to do it; I just need to get the IQ up, make the necessary adjustments.
“It’s everything, because now I know when to use these bursts of energy, and not — like in the Drew Dober fight — use all my energy,” he added. “I know what moments to capitalize on using my athleticism and what moments I can use to rest, use my footwork.”
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Along with upping his Fight IQ, McKinney has also worked to set aside the pride that cost him at times too.
“We’ve got what it takes to be in the Top 15 — there’s no reason we shouldn’t be — so it’s just being focused, trusting in God, and not being prideful,” said the lightweight finisher, who sports a 100-percent finishing rate and has yet to see the scorecards in 23 professional bouts. “I always thought, ‘Let me beat this guy where he’s the best,’ and now that I’m a little more mature, I’m like, ‘Why would I not focus on the weakest part of this guy’s game and get the dub?’
"I gotta set the pride aside; it’s hard, but I gotta do it. I gotta play chess out there, not checkers.”
In looking ahead to his bout with Borshchev this weekend, McKinney sees an opponent that is at his best on the feet, and shows a clear weakness that could potentially be exploited.
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“I think he’s really good in the pocket, especially with his counters,” he said of “Slava Claus,” who has gone 3-4-1 over his first eight UFC appearances, most recently dropping a unanimous decision to Tom Nolan in February at UFC 312. “I don’t think he’s the most athletic guy, but the skills and the defense is there.
“But we all know dude can’t wrestle the best.”
So does that mean we’ll see McKinney lean on his grappling this weekend?
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“We’re gonna see me being a mixed martial artist; that’s what I’ll say,” he offered with a coy smirk. “There are places on the feet where if he’s able to stop takedowns, we’ll be ready for it.
“It’s time to build.”
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