Following a five-month layoff, lightweight up and comer Trey Ogden was able to pick up his first win of 2017 with a second round submission of Chance Thackston at Victory FC 57 in May.
“It went extremely well for me,” Ogden told MMAWeekly.com. “I was very happy with my performance. A lot of the things that I had been working on the last year, the last 18 months, really came together for me. I felt really good.”
For Ogden, waiting so long to have his first bout of the year was not something he had anticipated, but picking up five wins in a row heading into 2017 created the kind of success that possibly kept opponents away.
“It wasn’t my decision not to fight, but we had a hard time finding fighters who wanted to fight or having fights fall apart,” said Ogden. “I stayed in camp the whole time. That’s just how I live my life.
“I wanted to fight a little bit more. I’m becoming a bit more of a UFC prospect now, and it’s not about the quantity of fights, but more about quality of fights that leads to opportunities.”
Ogden (8-1) will look to pick up his second win of the year when he takes on TJ Brown (9-4) in a main card 155-pound bout at LFA 21 on Friday in Branson, Mo.
“I always feel the same way about what I have to do to get the win: I’ve just got to go out there and perform to my best,” Ogden said. “I think I’m capable of beating anybody if I show up and fight my fight.
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“All my preparation has been the same as usual. I don’t really think too much about my opponents. I concentrate on eliminating my weaknesses and sharpening my strengths. If I go out and fight my fight this should be another finish for me.”
Though he might be on the doorstep of the UFC, Ogden isn’t setting a date for when he could possibly make the move up. For now, he’s just staying open to any opportunities that come his way.
“It’s hard a put a timeline on these kinds of things,” said Ogden. “You could eligible and winning for a long time and not get in, or you could get a phone call tomorrow and they want you on a week’s notice.
“It’s hard not to think about it too much because I don’t want to let it distract me from the process of preparation, but I certainly want to be in the UFC as soon as possible.”
