Mississauga, Ontario native Claude Patrick represented his hometown valiantly as he made his UFC debut a successful one this past Saturday in Vancouver at UFC 115.
Patrick, a longtime representative of the Greater Toronto Area martial arts scene, defeated Brazilian fighter Ricardo Funch by second round submission to earn his first win inside the octagon. Patrick was one of three Canadians on the card at UFC 115, but the only one to come out victorious.
It has been a long time coming for Patrick to make it to the big show, but he feels the timing was right. “I figured I would always be able to get to the UFC, but [it was] just a matter of belonging there,” said Patrick in a post-fight interview. “A lot of guys get here to say ‘I fought in the UFC’ when they go to the bar, but that’s not me. I’m a normal guy, so I don’t run around saying ‘I’m a fighter, I’m a fighter.’ I want to belong when I’m there.”
After the fight, Patrick expressed an interest in fighting a fellow rising welterweight contender in his next bout. “I don’t want to be disrespectful. I’m not the guy to say ‘I want to fight this guy, I want to fight that guy,’ but as a fan, I was watching Dong Hyun Kim when he fought Amir Sadollah the other week,” said Patrick. “I was like wow this guy has got some really unique techniques. So, I’d be honoured to be able to face a guy like that.”
The 30-year-old co-owns Mississauga’s Elite Training Centre in home city. For more info on Claude Patrick and the Mississauga Elite Training Centre visit http://www.mississaugaelite.com/
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