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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Lorenz Larkin has had himself a very good year in 2011, getting a call-up to Strikeforce in April and rattling off three straight wins to keep his record undefeated. In his most recent appearance, the 25-year-old experienced a couple of firsts in his MMA career: his first headlining fight and his first time ever fighting in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas.
Larkin took on Ultimate Fighter vet Nick Rossborough in the main event of last month's Strikeforce Challengers 19 event, with Rossborough stepping in as a late replacement for an injured Virgil Zwicker. But despite the change in opponent, things ultimately went well for Larkin as he scored a unanimous decision victory in the bout.
"Oh, man, it was great. It was probably one of the [most fun] times I've had for a fight," Larkin told MMATorch on Thursday. "I felt like [my performance] was good. Everything that happened in the fight was stuff we were working on in camp. We worked against the cage and off the fence, and I felt comfortable. I think it went good, my conditioning was there... it just went good for me."
Larkin said his only real difficulties with Rossborough came with his reach. The 5'11" Larkin was at a distinct disadvantage in that area against the 6'5" Rossborough, but overcame the issue as the fight wore on to score the win.
A loss in and of itself would have been shocking for the undefeated Larkin in that bout, but it also could have wrought controversy; Loretta Hunt reported on Thursday that Rossborough has been suspended for failing his drug test for performance enhancers for the bout, with his T/E ratio flagged by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Upon hearing the news, Larkin was in a bit of a shock.
"Are you serious?!" Larkin exclaimed when informed of the news. "Oh my god, I did not know that. I had not seen that. What the… Man... Truthfully, fighting in the smaller shows, they drug test, but they don't drug test like that. I'm happy about it, as far as having tests every fight or mostly every fight, it's a good thing for the sport, especially when there are guys that don't do none of that stuff.
"I can't feel sorry for things like that because [it's like] 'for what?' You know?"
It's not something Larkin has to dwell on as he looks to move ahead in his own career, and though he's already fought four times this year he's not at all looking to slow down.
"I hope I can get [back] in as soon as possible," he said. "I've always said as long as I feel healthy and there's nothing wrong with me I don't see why I can't keep fighting... [Right now I'm just staying] in the gym, keeping working on my ground game. I feel like my ground is getting better, a lot of people say I don't have it, but I've been working on that a lot. I still work my striking but right now I'm really just working on my ground and all the other aspects of my game."
He's hoping to get a call from Strikeforce for another fight soon, but understands the uncertainty surrounding the promotion with the Showtime deal ending in February. Should the fight company no longer be around at that time, Larkin hopes his body of work is enough to catch the eye of the UFC.
"I feel like if I keep fighting and I keep winning, putting on good shows for the fans, I have a feeling the UFC will hopefully see that and pick me up," he said.
2011 has been kind to Larkin, with opportunities presented to introduce himself to the MMA world at large. However, it was Larkin's hard work and continued improvement that have brought him to this latest stage of his career. He understands how things could be different at this point, but he rose to the occasion, and now looks ahead to an even brighter 2012.
"I got my chance against Scott Lighty, and I took it," Larkin reflected. "That opportunity I rose to it, and if I would have lost that fight you wouldn't even be talking to me right now. It's one of those things where I seized the opportunity and once I got the opportunity I wouldn't let it go. I just kept working hard and training hard.
"A lot of things have changed for me this year. It's crazy to [look back] at who I was before Scott Lighty and then who I am now; it's kind of mind boggling."
Larkin wished to acknowledge his sponsors in Splatt Hair Color, Ion Me, Hostility Clothing, Python Mouth Guards, and Xtreme Auto Works
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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