Undefeated heavyweight Petera Wilson keeping it simple ahead of CFFC 121: 'I finish fights'
The 26-year-old heavyweight prospect promising fireworks each and every time he steps in the cage.
Petera Wilson believes some people make a little too much out of this whole MMA thing. Sure, you can break down film, identify tendencies in opponents, develop tactical approaches to utilize in the cage – but ultimately, it still boils down to a fistfight.
"You know, hit don't get hit, put them down before they put you down," Wilson said. "It seems pretty basic enough for me. People just make it harder than that.
"It's still a fight at the end of the day, so we've got to throw a left or a right."
That simple approach to the chaos that can unfold inside a steel cage has served Wilson well thus far. After suffering a decision loss in his amateur debut, Wilson then rattled off five consecutive victories to wrap up that initial stage of his career before shifting to the professional ranks this past year, where he's already picked up a pair of wins.
While the progress has been impressive, Wilson (2-0) actually wishes he was a little further along in his development, but he's been struggling to find willing opponents. Fortunately for him, Sir Langston Nembhard (Pro debut) was willing to take on the challenge, and the two will now meet at Friday's CFFC 121 event, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from Mississippi's Horseshoe Tunica Casino & Hotel.
"I was trying to get multiple fights in before the end of last year, then I was trying to do the same for this year, but now it's the first fight for the year, and it's month seven, so it's going slower than I want it to," Wilson said. "I wish these boys would fight when they say they're going to fight. I need to fight more, but when someone will step in the ring with me, I'll just take it and go with it, so hopefully I can get some more work in."
The heavyweight division is often the most difficult weight class to find top-level talent in the sport of MMA, but Wilson certainly seems to fit the bill. A Division I linebacker during his college days at the University of Tulsa, his football career didn't end quite as expected, but that now fuels his drive for success in his new field.
"Honestly, I felt like me and my coaches at the time had a disagreement about my ability, but there wasn't really nothing I could do to fight them on that," Wilson recalled. "Now, if any man wants to be any type of better than me at anything, they're going to have to step in this ring and f-cking prove it because I'll be damned if somebody ever, ever tells me again that somebody else is better than me without proving anything."
At Friday's event, Wilson faces a bit of a mystery opponent who makes his professional debut and whose amateur record was never officially documented. Wilson insists that's not an added challenge, noting that given his athletic prowess prior to his MMA run, his team always knew he would struggle to find opponents on their way to the sport's highest stage.
"My coach, he made it understood from the start," Wilson said. "He said, 'You've got to stay in shape. We take everything. Short notice, whatever it is. You're not going to get the choice to pick and choose your opponents.' He let me know right out of the gate. They will run from you."
But Wilson has a willing opponent now, and he plans on keeping that simple mindset on Friday night, regardless of what his opponent brings to the table. Tune in, he insists, and you won't be disappointed.
"Shout out to my gym Law School MMA – greatest gym on the face of the planet known to man," Wilson said. "This is going to be spectacular. I finish fights. The goal is to put on a show."
