They say you're only as good as your last performance.
If that's the case, then Mark Munoz needs to step his game up after "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" was steamrolled by current No. 1 Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight contender Chris Weidman at UFC on FUEL TV 4 last summer.
"All American" unloaded a barrage of unanswered ground-and-pound strikes, set up by a beautiful elbow to the nose of his victim. After the referee decided to wake up and put a halt to the action, all that was left was a bloody and dejected Munoz, who saw his four-fight win streak come to an end and his title hopes go out the window.
But, according to the former NCAA Division-1 wrestling champion, that performance wasn't indicative of what he's capable of doing, thanks to a rushed training camp.
However, his dreams of gold can become a reality once again if the hard-hitting middleweight can get a win over heavy-handed brawler Tim Boetsch when the two collide at UFC 162 on July 6, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
He breaks it down to FightersDotCom:
"To win this fight is extremely important. For me to be able to win and showcasing my skills and executing what I've been training for the whole camp and should I finish him, that would speak volumes. I'll just let everybody know that I'm back and I'm ready to go. Last fight wasn't indicative of who I am. I think a win over Tim Boetsch will definitely catapult me back into the title hunt."
Boetsch also saw his hot streak come to an end at UFC 155 when he tangled with Constantinos Philippou, who knocked out "The Barbarian" in the third and final round of their clash last December.
And while Tim is confident he will be the one to end Anderson Silva's championship reign atop the 185-pound mountain, he first has to get through a very determined Munoz, who is making it his goal to erase the memory of his last performance.
Who ya' got?
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