Finney putting unbeaten record on the line again

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

  • As he did in his previous bout, Torrez Finney will aim to remain unbeaten at a fight held in Savannah. CONTRIBUTED
    As he did in his previous bout, Torrez Finney will aim to remain unbeaten at a fight held in Savannah. CONTRIBUTED

    Torrez Finney’s professional record in the mixed martial arts (MMA) ranks remains undefeated. He’ll put that unblemished 3-0 record on the line again later this month in a return to the IKON Fighting Championship ranks when he faces Ivan Batinich on Oct. 14.

    Like his previous fight, this one will also be at the Savannah Civic Center.

    Being able to go against an opponent in the same arena will no doubt bring some feeling of familiarity for the former two-sport standout for Jones County. Also similar? His approach.

    “Every fight will have pressure; this one is no different. I dealt with pressure wrestling in a state championship in high school, playing in those big-time football games,” Finney said. “You’ll have pressure, but when you train and prepare, that confidence overrides that pressure. I feel that my confidence is really high.”

    Speaking of training, Finney has spent recent weeks training and getting exposure of an even higher level of fighting by working out in Las Vegas at the UFC Performance Institute with plans to be back closer to home later this week and put final preparations in place for the Oct. 14 fight.

    “It’s really gone well. It’s really given me a chance to go against some high-level guys, that gives me more confidence,” Finney said.

    In fighting, every opponent brings something different. Whereas one fighter may have one area of strength, another may be more proficient in another.

    So what does Finney see on the horizon for his next opponent?

    “He tries to wrestle more and probably grapples more than any opponent I have faced, but when I look at the matchup, I don’t see anywhere that he can beat me,” Finney said. “If I go out there and be me and do what I do, nobody can beat me.”

    For Finney’s part, his recent work has been improving his striking ability, defined as handto- hand combat between opponents in a standing position.

    “That’s one area I want to grow in. I have not had to show it a lot, and I don’t know when I’ll have to be ready to use it,” Finney said.

    Finney acknowledges that, with his fight being on UFC Fight Pass as his last one was, more eyes will be on him. With that, of course, comes a result that could possibly accelerate the trajectory of Finney’s MMA’s career, either potentially at some point in UFC or Bellator, which is an MMA promotional entity.

    “This is a big fight; there’s no telling what can happen,” Finney said.