Gracie Tampa South's Will Rentz has simple plan at CFFC 126: 'Just keep stacking up these wins'
With back-to-back first-round finishes, 'Iron' Will aims to maintain impressive streak.
Will Rentz doesn't hesitate to credit his coaches for every ounce of success he's achieved thus far in his budding career. The 24-year-old lightweight prospect was a lifelong football player before he walked in the doors of Gracie Tampa South with a lofty plan in mind.
"I had no experience going into the gym, going into Gracie Tampa South, and everything I've learned, I've learned from Billy Quarantillo and Matt Arroyo and the rest of the guys there," Rentz said. "I went in there with the goal of being in the UFC, being a champion, but I didn't know where to get started.
"I've got three brothers, so we just kind of beat the hell out of each other growing up, and I went to college for a little bit and I hated every second of it. I knew that wasn't for me, so I took a step back and just kind of thought about what I wanted to do with my life, and I knew it was something like this."
Rentz found immediate success under the tutelage of his coaches, racking up a 5-0 amateur mark before making his professional debut in 2012 at the historic CFFC 100 event and scoring a second-round TKO victory. Three months later, he returned to the cage to face Frank Wells at CFFC 104 and suffered a disappointing loss via decision.
Complicating matters, surgery then forced Rentz to the sidelines for more than a year, stalling the progress of his professional career.
Rentz finally got back to work in April, where he scored an impressive first-round TKO, marking his return to the cage after a long 16 months away. Just three months later, he scored another first-round TKO, this time over Feraris Golden at CFFC 122.
"I love being active again," Rentz said. "Last year, having to sit out there almost a year-and-a-half was tough, so now we're just getting on a good run here, hopefully stack up a good few wins, get on Dana White's Contender Series and see what's what after that.
"Just being able to stay consistent has been important. After I lost, it just opened my eyes a little bit to a few different ways that I need to be training – or changing my training. Staying more consistent, making those few adjustments, and obviously the coaching, the people I have around me – 'Billy Q,' Matt Arroyo, all those guys – help me get ready for every fight."
Two weeks after his most recent win, Rentz also got a unique opportunity to help corner one of his mentors, Quarantillo, at UFC on ESPN 50, where "Billy Q" took home an impressive decision win over Damon Jackson.
Rentz said the experience truly helped him visualize his path.
"That was just an incredible experience," Rentz said. "It just really helped in understanding this is just another fight."
Rentz (3-1) now looks to continue his hot streak when he returns to the cage to face Corey Samuels (4-3) on Friday, October 13, in the co-main event of CFFC 126, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa.
It's a matchup Rentz feels is eerily similar to his recent win over Golden, and he's confident he can produce an equally impressive result.
"Pretty similar outlook to the last opponent," Rentz said. "Dangerous on the feet. Good kickboxing. Especially dangerous the first two-and-a-half minutes, just like the last guy. Southpaw is really the only difference. Obviously a little bit more tricky there, but I feel like I've prepared myself pretty well for that."
A third straight finish, all in the course of just six months, would be a major accomplishment for Rentz and certainly start earning him some consideration for a future CFFC title shot – an accomplishment that goes a long way in helping fulfill UFC aspirations. Rentz, though, isn't worried too much about the method of victory. The bottom line is just picking up another win and taking another big step forward.
"I'm just trying to get a win," Rentz said. "I don't care how I get it done, when I get it done, what I get it done with. I just want to keep stacking up these wins.
"I'm just ready to get it done."
