Video: Mitch Clarke likes non-Barboza nature of Iaquinta fight at UFC 173

Mitch Clarke believes he dodged a big bullet nearly a year ago when he finally got his first UFC victory.

After a TKO loss in his debut in December 2011, he fought just once in 2012, dropping a split decision to Anton Kuivanen. He knew what was on the line for his third fight in June 2013.

But a unanimous decision win over John Maguire at UFC 161 kept him in the mix.

“(Lose) two in a row, and you’re gone (with a third),” Clarke told MMAjunkie. “I thought, ‘Go out there and fight my heart out,’ and I did, and I won. Now I get another opportunity.”

That opportunity comes Saturday when Clarke (10-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) meets Al Iaquinta (8-2-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) at UFC 173 in Las Vegas. The fight is part of the FOX Sports 1-televised preliminary card.

Clarke is an underdog in the fight, but he doesn’t see the bout as that much of an uphill battle.

“I think it’s a good matchup. He’s tough,” Clarke said. “I’ve been growing by leaps and bounds since the last fight. Are they putting me in with Edson Barboza? No – it’s not an unwinnable kind of thing. I just have to show up game night and fight my fight, and I think it’ll go well.”

Check out the video above to see what else Clarke had to say about his fight with Iaquinta.

And for the latest on UFC 173, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.