Matthew Semelsberger And The ‘F*** It' Mentality
Three Years Into His UFC Career, Matthew Semelsberger Hopes To See His Adjustments In Play At UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2
Matthew Semelsberger has adopted the ‘f*** it’ mentality.
Three years into his UFC career, the Maryland native has had a mixed bag of results, going 5-3 inside the Octagon, most recently falling to Jeremiah Wells earlier this year. Over the span of those three years, Semelsberger had to adjust as a fighter, attributing his main focus to the maturity he’s gained inside and outside of the Octagon.
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“I've matured in the sense that I've always had a pretty high ability, but being able to bring it out in the fights has been something that I think I've grown and been able to do a better job of,” Semelsberger said. “That's what my focus is this fight - doing what I know I'm capable of and letting go of all the fear and all of the emotion that comes attached with that, that makes you worry about doing bad or doing good.”
He will look to implement those changes against Uroš Medić inside the Delta Center at UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2. Semelsberger was originally scheduled to face Canada’s Yohan Lainesse, but things fell through and now he’s slated to face Medíc.
Late opponent changes are just a part of the game when it comes to mixed martial arts and that’s exactly where the ‘f*** it’ mentality comes full circle for Semelsberger.
“I've never been too big of a focus on the opponent type of person,” Semelsberger said. “I've had plenty of fights where my opponents have changed before, too, so I'm used to it already. But yeah, who cares, man? It’s mixed martial arts; especially in the UFC, everyone's good, whether it's on the feet or on the ground. I can't buy in too much to who I'm fighting because I'm just trying to do what I'm trying to do.”
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The main question surrounding the athletes on this weekend’s card is how the elevation is going to come into play during the fights. For Semelsberger, preparation started before fight week began and he feels confident in the work he has put in leading up to the moment, but definitely acknowledged the shift in how your cardio is affected.
“I think I've done a pretty good job of preparing, doing a lot of cardio and making sure I was pushing myself back home,” Semelsberger said. “I was running a bunch of hills. In the gym, I was pushing the pace pretty well. I got out here early, last Friday, so I'm giving myself enough time to adjust.”
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When it comes to his opponent, he hasn’t been in the Octagon since May 2022. He is 3-1 throughout his UFC career, only losing to Jalin Turner, which was by submission. This is something that Semelsberger believes will work in his favor.
“I watched a lot of his film and he's a southpaw,” Semelsberger said. “Luckily, I have a couple of different southpaws that I work with on a regular basis in the gym. He looks pretty solid on the feet, looks like he likes to keep it on the feet. Obviously his one loss coming from Turner, which a dude who got him on the ground, was able to utilize that, so definitely my eyes are open on that, as well.”
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Looking at his path to victory, Semelsberger feels confident that he is going to get a finish, specifically a knockout. Pressuring from the get-go and not holding back will be the key for Semelsberger, and a win is exactly what he needs to get things back on track.
“A victory would be little bit of reassurance from the adjustments I made from the last fight. I’m making the adjustments that I need to make, both from a technical standpoint and a mental and spiritual standpoint,” Semelsberger said. “It’s an affirmation that I'm leveling up and still climbing.”
UFC 291: Poirier vs Gaethje 2 took place live from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 29, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
