Interviews
With injury issues behind him, Bellator 137's Darrion Caldwell ready to make championship run in MMA
May 5, 2015 - 12:25:09 PM With injury issues behind him, Bellator 137's Darrion Caldwell ready to make championship run in MMA

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

On March 21, 2009, Darrion Caldwell reached the peak of his career as an amateur wrestler, upsetting Iowa's Brent Metcalf to capture the NCAA Division 1 Championship at 149 lbs. Unfortunately, an off-season shoulder injury derailed what could have been an even greater wrestling career.

He'd return to competition, but re-aggravated the shoulder in the 2011 NCAA tournament to effectively bring an end to that career. However, the end to that endeavor led him to mixed martial arts, where he's racked up six straight victories.

The shift to MMA has given Caldwell a new purpose after the unfortunate end to his wrestling run, and the concerns about that shoulder have faded away for him in the process.

"I just missed the competition," Caldwell told MMATorch recently "I felt like I wanted something new, and MMA was pretty much just like wrestling in terms of the lifestyle and competition. It was all new to me, and I felt like I'd done all I could do in the sport of wrestling at the time, so it was something that definitely played out in my favor. It just sort of happened, and I ran with it.

"I haven't had any mishaps [with my shoulder] since transitioning to MMA. That's the cool thing about MMA, if you don't want to put yourself in those positions then you don't have to. I've been out of bad positions with my shoulder for so long that I can put myself in any position I want and be fine. I have no injuries, no mishaps, no worries about anything."

One of the more intriguing prospects in the sport, Caldwell is taking a leap up in competition to make his televised debut next week at Bellator 137, where he'll meet former title challenger Rafael Silva. It's a significant opportunity, and Caldwell sees this as just the beginning in Bellator's talented bantamweight field.

"My goal is to be a world champion, and I'm not going to stop until I've done that," he said. "Once I'm a world champion, I'm going to continue to win fights, continue to get better. That's what I'm doing right now, and I'm happy that Bellator's given me this opportunity.

"I'm focused more on what I have to do to be a world champion within myself. But definitely there's guys out there making statements and who put us on the map in terms of being a strong division in the organization. There's guys out there who I know are going to be tough fights. But that's what I'm here for. I'm not here for the easy way out; I'm here to make a statement."

That first chance comes against Silva, a 26-fight veteran whose only loss in the last four years came against Joe Warren in a five-round decision. Caldwell understands the fight he has in front of him, but feels it's his turn to showcase just what he's capable of in this sport.

"He's good everywhere, and I'm here to prove I'm good everywhere as well," Caldwell said. "I moved to California and changed camps, it's been a huge adjustment for me. I'm here to showcase everything that my team has been putting into me… and this is the perfect fight to showcase that.

"I think my striking game is really evolved," he continued. "It's been a lot better. I'm super unorthodox, and my striking is like no other. No one is designed like myself. I'm ready to put that out there and show that. My goal is to get in good positions and open them up. Look for big strikes on the ground, and if it opens things up enough where I can take a submission, I'm going to do so.

"I see it going my way. I see me finishing him wherever I want. I think people are going to be surprised how I finish this guy."

It's a big spot for the 27-year-old, as he'll get national television exposure for the first time in his young MMA career. While that could lead to added pressure for an up and coming competitor, there's one thing he wants to make perfectly clear by the time that fight is done:

"I'm ready."