Charlie Brenneman Expects to Push Pace vs. Roberts at UFC on FX

Charlie Brenneman vs. Daniel Roberts (Matt Erickson/HeavyMMA)

Welterweights fight on preliminary card

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Over the course of their careers, most athletes experience the roller-coaster ride that comes with winning and losing. UFC welterweight Charlie Brenneman is ready to find the middle ground.

“The Spaniard” rattled the divisional cage when he pulled off an upset victory over the fast-rising Rick Story, but then saw his progress stopped by Anthony Johnson, who was recently released from the UFC for failing to make weight at UFC 142. With the past behind him, Brenneman is looking to get back into the win column when he faces Daniel Roberts on the preliminary card of UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller tonight in Nashville, Tenn.

“I picked up a lot of steam with my win over Story, and it all was put to a quick halt after the loss to Johnson,” Brenneman said. “It taught me a lot about the business, the highs and lows, and that you can’t really count on anything. You just have to keep working.

“I Tweeted about Johnson’s weight, and I got a lot of hate for it. He made weight for our fight, so there is nothing I can say about that. No excuses to be made. But it is nice to know I’ll never face anybody who is bigger and stronger in this weight class.”

Training with the Miller brothers at AMA Fight Club in New Jersey for this fight has Brenneman feeling better than ever. With a more efficient camp and what he believes is the ideal stylistic matchup for Roberts, Brenneman believes the results will show in Nashville.

“I tried to refine things to make sure I had more energy in training,” Brenneman said. “I started working with a Muay Thai coach at AMA Fight Club. He is an authentic Thai fighter, and it’s been inspirational working with him. Add that to my continued evolution in jiu-jitsu and overall skills, and I’m expecting to show the best version of myself on Friday night.

“I love this fight. It is the kind of fight I was hoping for. Daniel has beaten a lot of good guys, and stylistically it is exactly what I want. He’s not a real heavy-handed guy, unlike the last million people I’ve fought. It’s a nice change of pace in that aspect, but his strongest area is going to be the ground, off of his back.

“The top position is where I’m strongest, and it is going to force us to play a chess game. I’m going to make Daniel Roberts prove he can hang with me. I’m going to push the pace until he is looking at me, wanting to fall over.”