Evan Dunham UFC 119
Evan Dunham has put the controversial UFC 119 loss to Sean Sherk behind him, focused solely on Melvin Guillard.
The spectators in attendance at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Sept. 25 for UFC 119 were treated to a great lightweight fight between Evan Dunham and Sean Sherk that ended in a bad decision.
Most had Dunham winning the fight, including UFC president Dana White, who has commented that Dunham got “screwed” by the judges.
“The way I look at Evan Dunham right now is this kid’s undefeated. He got screwed,” said UFC president Dana white about Dunham and the split decision loss to Sherk. “I think Evan Dunham won that fight. So, you know, on his record he’s 11-1, but this kid’s one of the most talented, up and coming kids in the division.”
Dunham felt he won the fight as the scorecards were being read that night, but knows why “don’t leave it in the hands of the judges” is a too commonly uttered phase in mixed martial arts.
“I thought I had won it. My corner men had thought I won it but, you know, in MMA we all know that, you know, stuff happens that are out of your control, especially when it comes to the judges,” said 29-year old fighter.
The split decision loss is the only blemish on Dunham’s 11-1 professional mixed martial arts record and he’s determined to learn from it and put it behind him.
“I learned a real lot from that fight,” said Dunham. “All I can do is learn from it and that’s exactly what I plan on doing.”
“It definitely sucks to have your undefeated record taken away like that but, you know, it is what it is,“ added Dunham. “There’s no going back and changing it.
“It’s a bummer but, you know, I’ve just got to deal with it the best I can. That fight happened the way it happened for a reason and that’s kind of how I’m looking at it.”
Dunham’s focus is locked on his “UFC Fight Night 23: Fight for the Troops 2” main event opponent Melvin Guillard.
“I just worry about one thing at a time and, you know, that’s all that’s on my plate right now is getting through Melvin on the 22nd,” said Dunham. “I try not to look too much ahead. You know, that’s just me. So I take one thing at a time and I know if I take care of what’s in front of me then good things will happen down the road.”
By “good things will happen down the road,” he means an eventual title shot.
“That is my goal, you know, in life is to hold that belt,” stated Dunham. “So all I think about, all I worry about is getting through Melvin on the 22nd and then the rest will take care of itself.”
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