From the wrestling mats to the Octagon: Why Tyrell Fortune believes his most powerful weapon has never changed

Long before Tyrell Fortune found himself in the UFC heavyweight ranks, he had already built a reputation on the wrestling mat. A two-time NCAA champion at the junior varsity level, NCAA Division II national champion, Wrestler of the Year, Team USA representative and later a student assistant wrestling coach at Grand Canyon University, Fortune spent years striving for excellence in a sport that offered prestige but little financial security.Mixed martial arts came later. So did Bellator, the PFL and eventually the UFC.Ahead of his second UFC bout against Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, Fortune believes the foundation laid over those years still gives him the edge over anyone standing across the cage.“I think I’m always able to take advantage of everybody with my wrestling,” Fortune told TimesofIndia.com ahead of his UFC Fight Night bout. “Wrestling is where I started and it’s my dominant martial art. But I think I’m stronger, faster and better than him in every position.”Fortune has previously acknowledged that the decision to switch to mixed martial arts was driven as much by practicality as by ambition. There were simply no financial possibilities in amateur wrestling.Signed by Bellator while he was still involved in international wrestling, he fully committed to MMA by 2016 and embarked on a professional career that took him through Bellator and the PFL before finally landing a contract with the UFC.His arrival in the UFC was far from ideal.Fortune accepted this opportunity with just 12 days’ notice against Marcin Tybur in March of this year. He won, though the night was briefly overshadowed by a rare mistake from UFC fame announcer Bruce Buffer, who mistakenly declared Tybur the winner early on. However, the result left him in no doubt that he belongs among the elite sports heavyweights.“It told me I could fight through a difficult situation and make the most of the 12 days I had to prepare for my UFC debut.“It gave me more confidence and assured me that I was in the right place and that I could hang with those guys.This time the preparation was completely different. Instead of a rushed camp, Fortune enjoyed a full build-up, which he believes made all the difference.“I feel very prepared and ready. I had a full training camp and after being in the UFC I made sure I stayed in shape and trained at a good pace. I feel like I put in a lot of work during this camp so I feel very ready.“I would say just staying in good shape, focusing on my cardio and getting my cardio up. That’s really it. I’ve been focusing on myself to be well-rounded and ready for anything that can happen.”Opposite him will be Kuniev, a bigger heavyweight who on paper has advantages in height and reach. The burly Russian is 1-1 in the UFC and, like Fortune, will be looking to make his mark in the division. But Fortune is not bothered by this challenge.“No challenge. I don’t think there’s anything difficult about it. Most of the guys are at least an inch or two taller than me, because I’m about 6’2″ or 6’3″. So I’m used to guys being at least an inch or two taller than me. One of my main training partners is 6’7″, so I’m used to dealing with height.”Nor does he believe there is a certain area where his opponent has the upper hand. When asked where Kuniev is most vulnerable if the fight goes on Fortune’s terms, his answer was straightforward.“Everywhere. I’m better than him everywhere.”Trust is not without context. Fortune regained momentum before getting his UFC opportunity, stringing together back-to-back stoppage victories following his PFL stint and carrying that form into the Octagon. A win over Kuniev, who is currently ranked one spot above him, would move him one step closer to the division’s top contenders.“Right now I’m number nine and he’s number eight. So I think that moves me up one spot in the rankings. My next opportunity, I think, will be even higher in the rankings. As long as I keep moving up the rankings and get to the belt, that’s what I want.”For all the milestones that have marked his sporting career – from national wrestling titles to Bellator main events and now the UFC – Fortune insists that very little has changed in the way he approaches competition.“Nothing. Nothing changes. Same job, same mission, same goals as always. Just go out there, dominate, win the fight and move on.”(Watch UFC Fight Night – Ankalaev vs Rountree Jr. on July 25 from 9:30 PM IST Live on Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD and Sony LIV.)