Devin Clark is acutely aware that his UFC Vegas 86 bout might determine his future in the organization. Since his last fight in May of the previous year, where he suffered a submission loss to Kennedy Nzechukwu, Clark has been eagerly awaiting his return to the octagon.
Despite initially planning to fight again in 2023, he chose to prioritize spending quality time with his family and reevaluating his mindset for his upcoming bout.
“Just scheduling conflicts. I could have fought in the fall and ended up going to Disneyland with my family instead, which proved to be a good decision. I needed a little bit of a break to readjust and reevaluate some things and just get better. Obviously, the last one didn’t go my way,” Clark revealed on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com.
Now, with his fight against Marcin Prachnio at UFC Vegas 86 looming after nearly a year’s hiatus, Clark feels more prepared than ever, particularly given the significance of this being the final fight on his current contract.
“I’m feeling ready for it now and we will see where 2024 gets us. I’m looking to get a new contract, get some wins, kind of establish myself again, and not just be a gatekeeper type of guy. Also, keep my job,” Clark expressed. “That is one of the realities of this fight, this is my fourth fight on this contract and contracts aren’t guaranteed you have to earn them, so I’m in a good spot to earn that contract and keep fighting in the UFC.”
Despite the potential stakes, Clark insists that the pressure of fighting for a new contract doesn’t weigh heavily on him. Rather, he sees it as an opportunity to focus solely on the task at hand without worrying about the future.
“I mean it could, it also takes a little bit off of it. All you have to do is fight, you aren’t worrying about the next fight, the reality of it is, just go out there and fight. That is what I’m good at,” Clark remarked.
Confident in his abilities, Clark anticipates utilizing his wrestling prowess to dominate Prachnio and secure a decisive victory.
“Definitely me getting my hand raised, whether it’s that be a knockout or a good decision, definitely a dominant one. Some aggression for sure and a hell of a fight, the fans will be impressed,” Clark asserted.
Should he emerge victorious at UFC Vegas 86, Clark harbors aspirations of securing a new contract with the UFC and making strides towards climbing the light heavyweight rankings.
“I don’t care where it does for me in the rankings right now. I know I can fight anybody who is in the top-15. I’ve fought a lot of them and some of them have been pretty good fights, and others I just got caught. I know with the right game plan I can win a lot of these fights. Just win this one and get anyone someone in the top 15,” Clark concluded.
