UFC on FOX 28's Ben Saunders finally gets wish to fight in hometown

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s been 11 years since UFC welterweight Ben Saunders fought in his adopted hometown, but not for lack of trying.

“Fighting here has been a decade-long goal,” Saunders (21-8-2 MMA, 8-5 UFC), who on Saturday meets Alan Jouban (15-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC) at UFC on FOX 28, told MMAjunkie. “I’ve been wanting to fight here – let alone for the UFC – for that long. I’ve visualized it for a very long time.”

Saunders, 34, has trained in Orlando since 2004 and has worked with an American Top Team affiliate for the past 12 years. In that time, he’s gone from promising young prospect to reality show contestant to UFC and Bellator vet. Never, though, has he been the hometown favorite in a big show.

When he heard the UFC was headed to his hometown, Saunders immediately got on the phone and started lobbying.

“This is the third time (the UFC) has been here,” he said. “I tried to get on the first one, I thought I was on the second one (and) it didn’t happen. Getting on the third one was going to happen if I had to fly out to Vegas and plead and beg with (UFC President) Dana (White) and (UFC matchmaker) Sean Shelby to make it happen.”

Saunders told his promoter he would take anything, so he wound up matched against a fighter who works in the same grappling system. Both he and Jouban are disciples of the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu system, so it’s not the most comfortable pairing.

“I was like, ‘Ahhh,'” Saunders said. “First thing I did was send over the email that Sean sent me to (10th Planet founder) Eddie (Bravo) and said, ‘Oh my god, no.'” And he said, ‘No, tell them you guys are teammates,’ and I said, ‘I know, I already said that.’

“Unfortunately, Alan’s back was against the wall. He said he was trying to get a fight for a long time. This was the fight they gave him. He accepted it. Eddie talked to Alan, and Alan talked to me. It’s unfortunate. We’re both professionals. This is going to be the first time in UFC history we’re going to see 10th Planet on 10th Planet crime. May the best man win.”

The two kick off the FOX-televised prelims of Saturday’s fight card at Amway Center. Saunders said the winner will buy beers. But the way he sees it, just fighting in Orlando is a win.

“The last time I fought here was for the Combat Fighting Champioship welterweight title,” Saunders said. “I won that in 46 seconds. The whole place went nuts when I walked out. The whole place went nuts when I got the armbar. If it’s anything like that, man, it’s going to give me chills.”

To hear more from Saunders, check out the video above.

For more on UFC on FOX 28, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.