“Just thinking back, it wasn’t that long ago when I was sitting in the crowd as a fan, dreaming, thinking that I’d be there one day. Now, I’m here. He’s very well-rounded and he’s a solid, tough opponent. Basically, I think he’s a veteran of the sport and I respect everything he’s done. I’m not taking anything away from him, I just think I’m better than him in everything. I’m looking to take him out, whether that means by TKO or KO or whatever. I definitely think I’ve got better hands than him and I definitely think I’ve got better Muay Thai than him. Once that cage door shuts and the fight’s happening, you can’t see outside of the cage. It’s just me and Aaron Riley fighting.”
– The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 9 lightweight winner Ross Pearson talks to the Las Vegas Sun about taking on Aaron Riley at UFC 105 from the Manchester Evening News (MEN) Arena in Manchester, England, on Nov. 14. Pearson bulldozed his way through A.J. Wenn, Richie Whitson, and Jason Dent to eventually capture the TUF crown by besting Andre Winner via unanimous decision at the June 20 Finale earlier this year. “The Real Deal” is a scrappy 155-pounder with plenty of heart — and could find himself the topic of conversation among the division’s contenders with a convincing win over the venerable Riley.
