WATFORD, United Kingdom –To say that Sam “The Future” Patterson’s MMA journey has been an unorthodox one would be a bit of an understatement. Since turning pro in 2017, the Englishman has been on a quest to compete against the top mixed martial artists throughout the world wherever they may be, and he has the stamps in his passport to prove that claim. Russia, Bahrain, India, and Belarus are just a sampling of some of the far-flung places that Patterson has traveled to prove not only to his friends and family back home but more importantly to himself, that not only does he have what it takes to compete against the top fighters in the world but that he can beat them as well.
UFC Hopeful Sam Patterson is Prepared for War in DWCS Matchup
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As a professional prizefighter, Patterson has only fought on UK soil three times, but for “The Future” competing abroad is something that he’s grown accustomed to.
“I do believe fighting around the world early in my career has benefitted me massively.” Patterson told MMA Sucka. “Being used to traveling and being in different countries competing has prepared me for the world stage I’m about to perform on.”
Since 2019, Patterson has competed exclusively with Brave Combat Federation, a Middle Eastern-based promotion that has quickly established itself as one of the premier MMA promotions in the world. While Patterson has enjoyed the experiences from his time abroad, it’s the steep competition he has had to face throughout his tenure with Brave that gives him the self-assurance and confidence to know that he is ready to compete at the highest levels of mixed martial arts.
Overcoming Adversity
Things have not always been easy for Patterson. In fact, in his very first bout with Brave in 2017, he had suffered the first loss of his competitive MMA career losing by knockout against Hardeep Rai in the very first round. To date, that fight has served as the sole defeat on his MMA resume. But in the years since dropping that fight has paid huge dividends for Patterson as it has served as a huge learning moment for him in his career.
“I treat every fight like that loss.” Patterson explained, “[I am] back in the gym improving my skills as if I lost [my last fight]. Having a great team and coach who will tell me all the negatives I’ve done in a fight, over the positives in the cage straight after the fight helps keep me humble and grounded but it also makes me want to get back to the gym and fix any errors I made in the fight.”
The UFC Hopeful
Standing at a height of 6’4” the lightweight is an imposing figure that is sure to stand out. But optics aside, it is Patterson’s ability to find finishes time and time again against the elite competition that has earned him the opportunity to compete on this stage. In his last five bouts, Patterson has managed to find a finish in four of them.
While “The Future” is humble and eager to compete in the Contender Series, he remains grounded in his approach to the fight and if there is one thing you can count on, it’s him fighting the bout on his terms.
“That’s the problem with a lot of fighters on [the Contender Series], they fight out of character to try to entertain Dana. Do what got you to the dance! I’m a fight finisher, but I don’t hunt for it. I do believe that I can find the finish against anyone within 15 minutes, so there is no game plan change. I will go out there and do what I do, and the contract will come. Fans can expect a performance. I have prepared for war but plan on dominating.”
On the Opposition
It is easy to understand why the UFC brass felt compelled to offer Patterson a chance to compete for a coveted roster spot against a top opponent in Brazil’s Vinicius Lenci 6-1, who enters the bout on a six-fight winning streak of his own with all of his last three bouts all ending via submission.
In sizing up his opponent, Patterson told MMA Sucka, “I don’t focus on my opponents…I let my coaches handle that. I have a quick look to get a brief idea, but from what I have seen on Lenci is minimal and he hasn’t fought in a while. So not too much to work off of. I do always go off the assumption that if he has improved as much as I have since my last fight then he will be a much better fighter. Lenci being a finisher makes for a very exciting fight which will be great for the Contender Series.”
Can the UFC hopeful from Watford, UK find a victory over the Brazilian submission ace, Vinicius Lenci? Will Patterson do enough to impress UFC boss Dana White to earn a contract and become the newest UFC lightweight contender? Find out on Tuesday, September 27th when Sam “The Future” Patterson squares off against Vinicius Lenci on Dana White Contender Series airing on ESPN+.
