MMA Combat - Story Anticipates Bout with Marquardt, Future Opportunities

MMA Combat - Story Anticipates Bout with Marquardt, Future Opportunities

UFC welterweight contender Rick Story (13-3-0) will meet Nate Marquardt (31-10-2) inside the octagon this Sunday, June 26, at UFC Live 4 with his eye on notching a second consecutive victory against top-ten competition in less than one month.

Interviewing with the Savage Dog Show on the Sherdog Radio Network, Story had the following to remarks regarding the timing of his bout this weekend:

“I never had the opportunity to get out of shape... I’m just throwing in a few things for a new game plan and I’ve had more than enough time to get that game plan good. I’m ready to go,” said Story. “After the fight with Alves, we got a hold of [UFC matchmaker Joe Silva] pretty quickly,” he said. “My coach, Pat White, he does all the legwork for me. We talked it over. I wanted to fight as soon as possible. I wasn’t necessarily expecting a fight in like three weeks or three and a half weeks, but we requested a fight quickly.”

Story last competed at UFC 130 - Rampage vs. Hamill, May 28, 2011, where he took an impressive unanimous decision from American Top Team talent, Thiago Alves. Ahead of his fight with one-time middleweight challenger Marquardt, Story looks to the game plan executed by fellow wrestler Chael Sonnen when determining his own strategy and the perceived weaknesses shown by "The Great" in that particular bout.

“If you watch his fight with Chael Sonnen, it’s pretty evident... He doesn’t have exceptional takedown defense, but he’s exceptional off his back. [It’s going to take] ground-and-pound and a high pace and you name it. In that Chael Sonnen fight, Chael went in that fight with a great game plan that worked for him. It showed a weakness in Marquardt’s game.”

While fighters often try to stay in the moment - never looking beyond the task at hand - Story has been outspoken about his desire to obtain a title shot, and as quickly as possible. When asked how a win over Marquardt will position him in the highly competitive welterweight division, Story had the following to say:

“I think that it depends on how the fight ends up,” Story said. “If it’s another decision, it’s not as much a priority; but if I end up finishing Nate, I think that puts me closer to that title shot. I don’t know if it would be more deserving than either B.J. Penn or Jon Fitch, but I’m sure a lot of people would like to see me challenge St. Pierre or Diaz.”

Tune in Sunday, June 26, 2011 to catch all the action at UFC Live 4!

The full fight card is found below:

Matchups:
Nate Marquardt vs. Rick Story
Patrick Barry vs. Cheick Kongo
Tyson Griffin vs. Manny Gamburyan
Matt Brown vs. John Howard
Joe Stevenson vs. Javier Vasquez
Matt Mitrione vs. Christian Morecraft
Michael Johnson vs. Edward Faaloloto
TJ Grant vs. Charlie Brenneman
Charles Oliveira vs. Nik Lentz
Joe Lauzon vs. Curt Warburton
Daniel Roberts vs. Rich Attonito
Matt Grice vs. Ricardo Lamas


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