TAMPA, Fla. — UFC lightweight Matt Frevola said he was trying to be more patient during Saturday's fight with Genaro Valdez. Unfortunately, he didn't have time. Frevola knocked Valdez down four times in the first three minutes of the first round and scored a TKO win at UFC 270 in Anaheim.
"They call me The "Steamrolla" for a reason," Matt said via Zoom call. "I come out fast. I come out strong. My whole team, everybody knows what I’m capable of in training."
Frevola moved from New York to Tampa in 2010, where he attended UT and earned a degree in criminology. He was also commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Reserves. A real-world career was a real option for Frevola, but the UFC turned into a pretty good Plan B.
"I was always thinking about going active duty with the Army, or some kind of [police work] with my criminology degree," the 115-pounder said. "But we’re still keeping the dream alive. I’m going to fight for as long as I can. And we’ll figure it out from there."
Rosters spots in the UFC are hard to keep. Frevola entered last weekend on a two-fight losing streak, but he and his training partners never let the train get too far off the tracks.
"I believe in my abilities and my team," Matt said. "They picked me up when I was down. And we got back to it. And we put on the performance that I know I’m capable of."
Frevola, a Long Island native, joked that cheering for the New York Jets, Mets, and Knicks can be tough. He said Tampa is his second home, and he loves cheering for "Champa Bay" as well.
"[Tom Brady] brought Champa Bay another championship," Matt added. "And I’ve been to a bunch of Lightning games. Those Lightning games are fun. And I’ve been to some Rays games. So yeah, I’m always rooting for Tampa as well."
With Saturday's win, Frevola improved to 9-3-1 in his MMA career. He said he's having x-rays on his right hand, and it could be broken. Regardless, the "Steamrolla" says he'll be ready to fight again sometime in May.
