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TAMPA, Fla. – His commercial debut may not have been the huge success he hoped for, but Navajo Stirling will find the silver lining.
Stirling (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) opened the UFC main card with a unanimous decision victory over Tuco Tokkos (10-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC) at Amalie Arena in Tampa last Saturday on ESPN 63. Fla. The City Kickboxing product from Australia would no doubt have preferred a highlight reel finish, but also gained some key experience.
“It was good to use 15 minutes for my development and in the cage, just to show people what I can do,” said Stirling, who has trained with players such as Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker and Alexander Volkanovski. “I think we were just too eager to get there and I kind of felt like he was there to survive. I didn’t feel like he was really trying to win. I think he was trying to hang on.”
“He was just trying to stay alive there and I think he probably believed the hype a little bit. He will probably be pleased with his performance that he made it out safe and alive. I didn’t manage to finish ahead of him. “The fans I wanted for the big debut on the main card, but it’s all good.”
Stirling came to the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Series in September. He turned 27 in November, and now that his UFC debut is in the books with a win, he can reflect on his first full year in the promotion.
He was the clear favorite against Tokkos at 9-1, but now wants to show some things that will scare the light heavyweight a little.
“I would like to fight at least three times (in 2025),” Stirling said. “For me it’s just about avoiding injuries and staying healthy. That’s my goal every year, to be in the gym as much as possible. The more time you spend on the mats, the better you become – but don’t lose that flow. … I want to use my teenage years to fight as many battles as possible and that way make myself relevant instead of just talking. “
Check out Stirling’s full post-fight interview in the video above.
For more information on the card, check out MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Navajo Stirling: Tokkos won by simply staying alive at UFC Tampa
