Move over Henry Cejudo; Solomon Renfro aiming to be the combat sports GOAT
Solomon Renfro isn't messing around when it comes to setting goals in his professional fighting career. The undefeated welterweight doesn't plan on stopping until he's known as the greatest combat sports athlete of all-time.
"My goal since Day 1 coming into the sport is to be the greatest of all-time," Renfro said. "I plan to get a belt in the UFC and defend my belt at least 10 times, and also to get a professional belt in boxing and defend that belt, as well. So that's why I say I want to be called the greatest combat sports athlete ever, because I'd be the first one to get a belt in boxing and MMA. No one has ever done that, but not many guys have the capability of doing that. That was my plan from Day 1."
Things have gone pretty well for Renfro thus far, staying perfect in his first six MMA fights as a professional. Most recently, he scored a 45-second submission win at August's CFFC 82 event. After an amateur run full of finishes, Renfro said it felt good to register his first stoppage as a pro.
"It felt great," Renfro said. "It felt like a fresh start to me. Now I can start finding more finishes. I just got my swagger back as far as finishing guys goes, so it feels good."
Renfro believes there's more of the same on the way. After starting his career at a small gym in Buffalo, he's since relocated to New York's famed Tiger Schulmann's Martial Arts, and he says his skills are increasing on a daily basis.
"I think everything now is just starting to come together," Renfro said. "I wasn't really at a big camp before. A lot of people don't know that. I mean, I was at a gym, but it wasn't a professional MMA gym. It was more of an amateur MMA gym. That's kind of the way it was out there in Buffalo, so now that I'm at Tiger Schulmann's, I can actually put time in training with guys.
"I just feel like I'm getting better every single day – I'm leveling up – and so do my coaches and teammates. Everything is just starting to come together. I'm finishing guys more and more in the gym. I'm finishing guys more and more in everything. I'm winning every competition I'm competing in, whether it be sprints, strength and conditioning, anything. Just focusing on being a winner and finishing – and finishing the right way."
Renfro (6-0) returns to action at Friday's CFFC 91 event, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Penn. He meets Canada's Mike Malott on the second of back-to-back event nights for Cage Fury Fighting Championships.
Renfro said he accepted the fight before knowing anything about his opponent.
"I had no idea who he was," Renfro said. "I was just looking to get an opponent. I was looking to go 7-0 regardless of the opponent, so it doesn't really matter to me. We finally got a guy who's willing to dance, and he's going to take this loss."
With a win, Renfro hopes he'll get a call to the UFC, at which point he'll start his championship journey with the sport's biggest promotion. Down the line, he'll look to make the crossover into boxing. From there, he'll look to oust "Triple C" from his current pedestal.
"I mean, don't get me wrong, I respect (Cejudo)," Renfro said "He's a dog, man. I seen him losing to Marlon Moraes, and he just pulled it out. He bit down on his mouthpiece and started to scrap. I respect it, for sure, but when it comes to the GOAT, I'm the GOAT."
It's still a long way to that type of recognition, but Renfro said he's up to the challenge. He plans to take his next step in that direction on Friday, and believes Malott will regret taking the booking.
"If he throws one, I'm throwing three," Renfro said. "If he throws something sloppy, I'm going to make him pay. He gets nothing for free. Anything he throws, he's going to pay for it. If he shoots, he's going to pay for it. If he throws, he's going to pay for it. I'm going to make him not want to be in there, and I'll find that finish from there."
