Middleweight Jack Hermansson will fight in Orlando, Flordia, on Saturday. Photo: Bill Streicher – USA TODAY Sports
Swedish middleweight Jack Hermansson is no stranger to changing opponents mid camp. In his last fights, a number of his scheduled opponents pulled out.
At Saturday’s UFC Orlando, the Swede will now face up-and-coming Roman Dolidze instead of top ranked veteran Derek Brunson, andt the media day, he commented on the constant change of opponents.
”It keeps on happening and I don’t know if it’s the fourth or fifth time in the UFC that I get a short notice replacement so, yeah, bad luck,” Hermansson said with a laugh.
”You just focus on what you have, but of course it’s always in the back of your mind that something can happen, it’s the nature of the sport, and it has happened to me before. I’m not shocked when something like that is happening, it’s a part of the game,” Hermansson said.
The seasoned Brunson and dangerous Dolidze are two very different fighters, in different stages of their careers.
”Both are southpaws, so that’s good you know,” Hermansson said with a smile. ”They are quite a bit different actually. Derek’s game is more wrestling heavy, Roman’s striking is very powerful, Roman might have more from the bottom as well. It’s a few differences.”
”We tried to see if anybody in the rankings was available, and when there wasn’t it really didn’t matter,” Hermansson said.
However, the Swede still hopes to face No. 5 ranked veteran Brunson later on.
”Derek is still there so maybe that would be a good fight next.”