Undefeated Paul Capaldo plans to make up for lost opportunity at CFFC 105
While COVID-19 has been a constant in all of our lives for the past two years, Paul Capaldo encountered the coronavirus at an incredibly unfortunate time.
Shortly before he was scheduled to compete at Dana White's Contender Series for a shot at scoring a UFC deal, Capaldo tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw.
"I was really bummed out because I probably had one of the best camps I've ever had for a fight," Capaldo said. "I was in good shape, and a week out, I got COVID. It was a bummer."
Fortunately, the 25-year-old Capaldo recovered quickly from the infection, though he did battle through a few difficult days of symptoms.
"I was really sick for the first three days," Capaldo said. "The first three days were really bad. I had really bad body aches. I would be sleeping in my bed or just chilling in my bed for like hours, and it would feel like I did three workouts that day. I was just really sore and tired."
Realizing the circumstances were completely out of his control, Capaldo said he focused on using the downtime as a positive opportunity for recovery and remained focused on his ultimate dream. Still, it wasn't always easy to keep that attitude.
"I set a goal for myself when I was younger: I wanted to be in the UFC by the time I was 23 or 24," Capaldo said. "I said 23, but with COVID and stuff like that and how there weren't fights, I gave myself a little bit of an exception. But missing on that opportunity just sucks, you know, especially seeing that the kid I was supposed to fight, Fernie Garcia, he got signed. It's just irritating, you know? But there's really nothing I could do about it.
"I just felt like it was my time, you know? But my parents and everyone around me, they kind of kept me positive and told me something better is going to happen, so that's what I'm hoping for."
Three months later, the undefeated Capaldo (6-0) is ready to return to action. The New Jersey native faces fellow featherweight prospect Jose Perez (5-1) in the co-main event of CFFC 105, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS on Saturday from Philadelphia's 2300 Arena.
Like Capaldo, Perez is a familiar face to CFFC fans, having competed five times for the promotion thus far. Still, Capaldo believes it's a fight he should absolutely win.
"Obviously, Jose is a jiu-jitsu fighter, but I think I'm better all-around," Capaldo said. "I'm definitely more well-rounded and jiu-jitsu only happens if you get taken down. You know what I mean? He's not taking me down. Why go to his strength?"
Capaldo said he's been putting in extra reps with Division I wrestling national champion Anthony Ashnault and believes he's primed for a thrilling performance. It's one he hopes will get him a call to the UFC, earning the contract he wasn't able to claim in October.
"I know they are keeping an eye on me," Capaldo said. "I was hoping when the Contender Series fight got canceled that they would call for a last-minute UFC fight. Crazy things happen. But that's still the goal. I would like to get that opportunity."
Beating another blue-chip prospect like Perez would certainly assist in that goal, especially if Capaldo can do it in impressive fashion. After all, it's a matchup of two highly-touted prospects that could have just as easily taken place inside a Contender Series cage were it not happening in CFFC.
Capaldo knows one opportunity to punch his ticket to the UFC got away through no fault of his own. Now he's hoping to take a little more control over his own destiny.
"I'm going to make it all up in this fight," Capaldo said. "I'm staying positive. I'm good. I'm going to go into this next fight, do what I always do, show up, and beat this guy. That's the gameplan."
