Bang is ready to get back to work.
After an injury originally forced him out of his bout with Amir Sadollah back in March, UFC veteran Duane Ludwig will now get another chance to face “The Ultimate Fighter” winner this weekend at UFC on Versus 5 in Milwaukee.
“I’ve been watching Amir since TUF…looking at him as both an opponent and a teacher. It’s been good to have a bit of extra time to prepare. Training has been going really good. The injury I received in March was very interesting. All is good now and I’m training full throttle.”
Both fighters are known for their striking abilities. Ludwig is an accomplished Thai boxer who has won multiple world championships and Sadollah’s evolution as a mixed martial artist has relied heavily on his ever-improving skills in the same discipline.
“We are both striking-based and he has improved every bout. I know he trains in Holland for his Thai boxing and that’s the best place for stand up, so for sure this will be a good fight as we both have good striking. I do feel my experience will play a large role in this fight.”
After a long stretch fighting as a lightweight, Ludwig made a successful return to the welterweight division last November. He defeated TUF alum Nick Osipczak via split decision. To Ludwig, it feels like 170 will be home.
“I’ve been walking at 195 for the past 2 years and making 155 has always been a struggle. But now when training camp begins, my focus is on becoming a better mixed martial artist rather than focusing on how many calories I’ve burned.”
The welterweight division has taken on new life over the past year. It’s getting younger, with prospects such as Rory MacDonald leading the way to a younger future where the championship will almost certainly be held by a twenty-something fighter. Ludwig chooses to focus on the immediate future and isn’t concerned about the divisional picture.
“I’m not looking past this fight in anyway nor do I even want to look at rankings. I fight because it’s my love and passion and not to be ranked in someone else’s category of success.”
After a decade in the fight business, Ludwig has committed his life to the sport of mixed martial arts. While he has seen many changes effect the landscape, he feels there are definitely positives to the increasing popularity of MMA.
“The biggest change is that now I get more money from my sponsors then I did from my fight purse which included the win bonus. I would also like to give a special thanks to some of my sponsors – MMA Warehouse, AmmoToGo, TRX, Affliction, Revgear, Shock Doctor, GLC 2000. And my management team of Sven Bean and KOreps.com. I am ready for action August 14th! Fans can expect to see Amir and I plant our feet, bite down on our mouthpieces and chuck bombs.”