Athletes
Tyson Pedro: Pushing His Boundaries
Despite His 100 Percent Finish Rate, The UFC’s Australian Gladiator Is Still Evolving As A Fighter
The famous old adage tells us, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But Tyson Pedro doesn’t subscribe to that thinking.
Pedro, who kicks off his 2024 schedule this weekend against Vitor Petrino at UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Gaziev, has been pushing himself out of his comfort zone lately.
Order UFC 299: O'Malley vs Vera 2
Away from the Octagon, the 32-year-old Aussie has been starring in Australian TV’s reboot of the classic game show Gladiators as “Dragon.” And his day job as one of the UFC’s most dangerous 205-pounders has also seen him make a few changes as he continues his return following a nightmare injury that forced him out of action for more than three years.
In his sixth UFC fight, a ruptured ACL suffered against former light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in late 2018 forced him into surgery and onto the sidelines. Then, when he was all set for a return 14 months later, two meniscus tears and a second ACL surgery extended his time away from the cage.
While Pedro was out of action, the light heavyweight landscape changed markedly, and the division he returned to in 2022 looked very different to the one he was forced to depart in 2018. But now, with Pedro 3-1 since his return to action, and the division looking wide open, he’s ready to make a run at the division’s Top 15.
“Yeah, it's cool, because I was sort of in the passing of the guards,” he told UFC.com this week in Las Vegas.
“I fought some of the baddest dudes in the light heavyweight division in that era. And then, after my injury, it was almost a whole new division, so it’s cool to see.
Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview
“The guys are getting bigger. They're getting stronger. It's an exciting division. But I already know I can be at the top. It’s just about working my way back there.
“Some of the guys that I fought, I looked up to. So that was a cool time to be a part of, and it will be forever etched in my memory. (For) that Shogun fight, he was one of my heroes growing up. To be able to share the Octagon with him, you can’t take that away from me.”
Tyson Pedro TKOs Villanueva | UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs Andrade
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Tyson Pedro TKOs Villanueva | UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs Andrade
/
He also explained that he’s navigating the latest chapter of his career as an evolved, more cerebral fighter than the one that first landed in the Octagon more than seven years ago.
“The Tyson Pedro before my injury is completely different to the one that fights now,” he said.
RELATED: Gaziev Wants To Show His Level | Fighters On The Rise | Jairzinho Rozenstruik Is Soldiering On
“I think my mindset is very different. My Fight IQ is higher. And I've just grown as a man, as well. So I think that shows itself in my fighting. Older, wiser, it all comes with it. It’s part of the fight game. I wish I had the knowledge when I was younger, but it’s not how it was supposed to happen. So I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
That evolution has been aided by Pedro teaming up with City Kickboxing, who have helped instill a more fluid striking arsenal that, by his own admission, took some time to fully adapt to. But now, with multiple camps at the acclaimed New Zealand gym under his belt, Pedro said he’s more dangerous than ever.
“City Kickboxing has obviously leveled up my ability, a lot,” he explained.
“But I think when I first got there, when you're learning new systems, it's hard to pick up and it can take a lot more energy. I think, with how many camps I've done there now, the system is sort of where it’s subconscious. And when it gets to that stage, then you sort of get into a flow state. So now I don't have to think about it, it's not taking that extra second. I'm at a good place.”
Pedro takes on undefeated Brazilian Petrino at the UFC APEX on Saturday in a bout that offers an opportunity to continue building his resume as he looks to earn a shot against ranked opposition later this year.
RELATED: See All the Updates To The Card
He’s coming into the bout with some serious momentum, too, thanks to a resounding first-round knockout of Sweden’s Anton Turkalj at UFC 293 in Sydney. In a career packed with highlight-reel moments, his latest win, on home soil, was a particularly special moment.
“I’m getting tingles now thinking about it!” he smiled.
“That win over Anton was probably one of my highlights of my career, for sure. With the home crowd, with the finish, with the celebration. That one's gonna be very hard to beat for a long time, I think.”
That victory extended Pedro’s remarkable 100 percent finish record, with all 10 of his pro wins coming inside the opening frame. Despite his penchant for quickfire finishes, Pedro said he doesn’t actively seek out the stoppage.
“I’m never trying to finish in the first round,” he admitted.
“I’m always training for a three-round fight. Sometimes I see that finish early and just feel it, so I just let those hands go.”
Another change will be in his corner on fight night. Pedro will be joined, as always by his father, John – “That’s my ride or die” – but alongside him will be a familiar face to veteran UFC fans, former UFC light heavyweight and longtime family friend James Te Huna.
Tyson Pedro Octagon Interview | UFC 293
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Tyson Pedro Octagon Interview | UFC 293
/
“Dad was training James Te Huna when I was a kid,” Pedro explained.
“He’s going to be in my corner this weekend, and I think that’s going to be a really cool experience. I always trained with Jamie, but it just felt like the right moment. So, I asked him, and it was a bit of an emotional one. So I think it’s going to be cool.”
With an evolved striking skillset, an inspirational corner team, and coming off the best win of his UFC career, it would be easy to think that another first-round finish could be on the cards for Pedro. But he said he wouldn’t mind changing things up a little and taking the victory on the scorecards this weekend.
“It'd be nice to finish it in the first round,” he said.
“But I think I really want to get the decision under my belt, just to prove and show everyone, ‘Hey! I can do this, as well!’”
He’s even changing his approach to his walkout music, having chosen something harder-hitting than his usual feelgood choices.
“Everything is different! I want a decision, the song I don’t normally use, and maybe get naked in the Octagon after!”
His corner would probably be more than happy with the first two…
UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Gaziev took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 2, 2024. See the final Prelims and Main Card results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
