UFC 335 Adds Quentin Pasley, the 4–0 Prospect Dana White Compared to Jon Jones
Quentin Pasley has had the comparison coming even from the UFC head honcho, but he isn't ready to buy into it just yet, at least before his debut.
After watching the undefeated light heavyweight earn his UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series, the UFC CEO compared the 24-year-old to Jon Jones, widely regarded by White as one of the greatest fighters in MMA history. It was the kind of praise that could send a young prospect's expectations soaring. Pasley, however, had a more measured response. Now at UFC 335, he will get his first opportunity to prove himself on the biggest stage in the sport.
Quentin Pasley Set for UFC Debut at UFC 335
Pasley (4-0) is set to make his promotional debut against Junior Tafa (7-6) at UFC 335 on Dec. 12. The event takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Enterprise, NV, with Pasley joining a card headlined by Charles Oliveira and Diego Lopes in a BMF title fight.
The comparison came after Pasley's performance on the fifth week of the latest season of DWCS. He entered the bout against Arlind Berisha with a 3-0 record, while his opponent was undefeated at 5-0. Despite their unbeaten records, Pasley was still a relatively inexperienced prospect.
After a measured opening, the young gun threatened Berisha with a D'Arce choke before unleashing a series of vicious elbows. The barrage rendered Berisha unable to continue, prompting the referee to stop the contest at 4:41 of the opening round.
Subsequently, Pasley improved to 4-0, maintaining his 100% finishing rate to secure the UFC contract he had been chasing.
White was impressed enough to invoke the name of Jones, the former light heavyweight champion he has repeatedly praised as the “greatest of all time.” Pasley, though, wasn't about to let the compliment change his perspective.
Junior Tafa Presents Pasley's First UFC Test at UFC 335
Pasley’s promotional debut against Tafa will put him opposite a heavyweight-hitting opponent with considerably more experience inside the Octagon.
His opponent, Tafa, aka “The Juggernaut,” enters the matchup with a 7-6 professional record and a 3-6 mark in the UFC. This, in turn, presents Pasley with an opportunity to make an immediate impression, but it does not make the debut a formality.
Training under former WSOF title challenger Nick Newell, Pasley has shown an ability to finish fights rather than leave the outcome to the judges. His victory over Berisha was another example of that instinct, as he found his opening and made the most of it when the fight hit the mat.
Furthermore, he appears ready to stay active. Following his Contender Series victory, the Connecticut native said he would be willing to compete whenever the UFC needed him. He isn't preoccupied with choosing opponents, although he has a much bigger ambition in mind.
