“The biggest change happened in my head,” concluded Filip Pejić after he learned a great lesson which cost him his UFC contract. “Nitro” this April debuted for the world’s strongest MMA organization, but after disappointing performances against Damian Stasiak before his hometown audience in the Zagreb Arena, Pejić was soon released.
Pejić immediately continued with training, but not without major changes. He quit his old coach Bernard Bar and joined American Top Team where he is improving his skills dramatically. He also decided that featherweight division suits him better and he is busy preparing for his FFC comeback this September in Linz, Austria. At FFC 26 Pejić is to face young Bosnian prodigy Ahmed Vila who is currently holding FFC lightweight belt.
UFC contract termination did not surprise him
“I learned about my release from the UFC through my manager Orsat Zovko. They said I did not meet the criteria for the first fight and that I still have to work on my game if I want to be in such a large organization. I expected this and it did not even surprise me. That’s why I was calm. After such a performance in which I did not show anything I simply did not even deserve to be a part of the UFC. “
Dropping to bantam division was too much
“It was my coach’s decision. He asked me and told me he knew I could do it. He wanted me to have a better result, but I am sure I would do better in featherweight. I am big and heavy. What I did was not the smartest idea.“
Big changes coming
“I matured a lot after this UFC match, especially in my head. I changed the way I think, the way I approach the fight, the way I see my opponents. Everything changed. I changed my environment too. Now I work with more experienced fighters which will be visible in my next match. After all that pain and what I went through preparing for the UFC match, when I almost died, I don’t think things would remain the same, even if I won. Because when you feel some things on your own skin, you can only look for changes and start all over. I train more than ever now. I never trained this much really. After UFC in Zagreb I had only two rest days and I went back to the gym immediately.“
New home in American Top Team
“I changed gym and coaches. Now I train in the American Tom Team. This is now my home and I plan to stay there until further. Arriving here, I started to work hard on wrestling and jiu-jitsu. Of course I do stand-up too, but I think I have to work more on these two segments. I learned a lot already, but I still have plenty of room for improvement and new things. “
New opportunities with FFC in the US
“In the future I will most likely do my preps in the US, but it all depends on my
manager. Now I will fight in Austria, but there will be more US events and I hope I will fight there.”
FFC comeback
“I did my big debut in the FFC. And I am coming to get my belt that was already supposed to be mine. I hope I will win it. I want stronger opponents and I hope I will defeat them all. Actually, I am convinced I will.“
New chapter begins with Ahmed Vila
“Vila is not so experienced; he did only a couple of matches so far. But he is young and very capable so I expect it to be a very good match, which is the most important. He will face a version of me that no one saw before.“
On Vila winning the belt
“Anyone can win. You can never be sure what will happen in the ring. Halmi did not show much in that match and Ahmed earned the belt. I have nothing to say but respect. But he will not win this one (laughs).“
Back to the ring
“I love ring, but I also like cage. I simply like to fight, it does not matter where. I will be different now and I will return to my old division. I believe I will explode again and return to the winning streak.“
