Though he preferred a striking battle last October at UFC 166 against the former Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier, Roy Nelson anticipated a "hug fest" in Houston, Texas.
While it wasn't exactly that, "Big Country" says it wasn't the type of scrap he was looking for, because "DC" is the type of fighter who prefers to play it safe in order to secure the win, instead of attempting to go out in a blaze of glory.
Like some "old school" fighters tend to do.
But like this heavyweight says, sometimes you have to do what you have to do to get the "W," which Cormier obtained in "H-town."
Nevertheless, Nelson says Cormier's style of fighting isn't one he's particularly fond of, as he recently declared on The MMA Hour (via MMA Fighting):
"I definitely watched it -- it wasn't the engagement that I like when I consider fighting. [Cormier] did his job, like I knew he was going to do, I just wanted it to be...kind of like Big Nog is going to be a guy, he's old school, he's a fighter. He's going to put on a show for the fans. I guess there's a showmanship in fighting."
He continues:
"Cormier was more of technician, very technical. He's going to take some time off the clock. He's like football, where all they're going to do is run, run, run, run. There's not going to be a pass. I don't prefer to watch his style. I like it from a technical standpoint, but from that hardcore fighter standpoint where I want to see someone go out in a blaze of glory, he's not going to be that guy. If he's up two rounds, he's going to play it safe. Stuff like that."
Nelson -- along with Rodrigo -- will have a chance to entertain fight fans when the two heavyweights go head-to-head in the main event of UFC Fight Night 39 on April 11, 2014 on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
Luckily for Roy, "Big Nog" has made it a habit to let his hands fly in his previous four outings. But trading punches with a heavy-hitter like Nelson may not be the best of ideas.