John Salter (15-4 MMA) is making his third appearance this year when he returns to action at Bellator 210 this Friday, November 30th, where he takes on Chidi Njokuani (18-5 MMA).
He is hoping to get back into the win column after suffering a third-round submission loss to Rafael Lovato Jr (9-0 MMA) back in September at Bellator 205. Prior to that, John had won 7 straight, 5 of which under the Bellator banner.
“Going into that third round, I made some bad mistakes” Salter began telling MMASucka about his match with Lovato Jr. “He came out looking to finish. I wanted to put him on his back and deal with him there, but he is such a monster. Once he took a shot, I failed to change my level and he is such a good grappler that you can’t afford to make mistakes like that. He never let me recover. Even on the feet, he was a stud there. But on the ground, there is nobody like him.”
“It’s a completely different fight”
As John is poised to get himself back into the winning discussion, he is well aware of the test that stands before him. Chidi Njokuani is a game-ready fighter with an arsenal of tricks up his sleeves. Especially on the stand-up.
“He does a good job at kicking with that right leg. I mean he strikes well, but his right leg is dangerous. He’s ended fights with and also won fights by keeping people off of him with it. I am well prepared to face that right leg as it can come from three different angles”.
When asked about how training and preparation are coming along, John was able to explain that his camp is attempting to mimic Chidi to a tee.
“With Chidi, he’s a stud. Great kickboxer, good at making sure no one takes him down but there are other guys like that. I have a guy at my gym who is an inch taller than Chidi but has all those tools and the speed too to replicate”. This is a tough challenge as it seems both men are just a few wins away from getting a title shot.
John Salter has never lost two fights in a row
In the span of his almost 20 fight career, John has never lost two fights in a row. His loss to Lovato Jr. was his only loss under the Bellator banner. However, John is not looking in the past but has his eyes set on the future. “Chidi is very fast. He’s got very fast hands and he’s going to be faster than me. I already know that. But I have a lot more power in my hands. He’s not a guy that is going to hurt you with one punch unless you’re in there charging with your chin up. I’m a guy that can hurt you with one punch”.
John Salter is also a very active fighter, as this is his third appearance this year alone. “Well, I never really take time off. After this fight, I’ll probably take Monday and Tuesday off of next week but right after I’m back to training. I have a whole fight camp around me that I help train guys as well.
As for what might the future hold? John made it clear that he is not looking past his opponent this Friday. With a packed weekend of fights, this main event is sure to provide excitement for the fans.
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