FC Fight Night 24's Michael McDonald: Expectations are premeditated limits



SEATTLE – For all intents and purposes, UFC bantamweight Michael McDonald (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) should be the metaphorical deer in headlights.

Just 20 years old, McDonald makes his UFC debut at Saturday's Spike TV-broadcast UFC Fight Night 24 event. He fights Edwin Figueroa (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), an undefeated, late-replacement foe who brings a completely different style to the cage than his original opponent, Nick Pace.

And yet, if McDonald is worried about anything at all, it's simply that he's not worried one bit.

"I'm a little bit nervous because I'm not nervous at all, if that makes any sense," McDonald told MMAjunkie in anticipation of his preliminary-card bout, which streams live on Facebook. "With the WEC, there were nerves, but I was in such deep prayer, such deep meditation, that I never thought about it. I was very prepared. For this one, it's actually different.

"I've never been this calm for any fight. I'm feeling really good."

It was just eight months ago that McDonald knocked out Cole Escovedo in rural California to claim Tachi Palace Fights' bantamweight crown. That performance earned a call-up to the WEC, where at November's WEC 53 card, McDonald survived a little early trouble and submitted Clint Godfrey via armbar in less than three minutes.

Just 19 years old at the time of the win, most fighters would be happy simply registering a victory on the big stage. Not so for McDonald, who expects perfection.

"I made some mistakes," McDonald admitted. "A lot of people say I'm too harsh on myself, but I really see a lot of mistakes I made in that fight. He shouldn't have dumped me on my head like that. That was a pretty hard slam, and it hurt me pretty bad. I wasn't really satisfied with the armbar I did. I could have done it better. The technique was off when I did it. I hit with a jab instead of a left hook when I stepped in. I led with my right too much.

"It came out well, but there were still a lot of areas where I could have improved."

Working with the Tom Theofanopoulos-headed Oakdale MMA team in Modesto, Calif., McDonald said he's working diligently to shore up those weaknesses.

"It's an amazing place," McDonald said of his camp. "A lot of people say, 'You can't be at a place where you're at the top.' Honestly, when I'm not on my game, I have amazing teammates, and they kick the crap out of me. We have an amazing group of guys there."

Many MMA pundits believe McDonald has the necessary tools to one day wrap a championship belt around his waist. There are countless hurdles between now and that goal, but McDonald isn't looking past the one directly in front of him. It's a philosophy learned over a fighting career that began in earnest when he was just 14 years old.

"When I was 13 years old, I never though at 14 I would be fighting amateur," McDonald said. "When I was 15 years old, I never though at 16 I would be fighting pro. At 18, I never thought I was going to be 19 years old and in the WEC. It's always just kind of hit me as it hit me.

"I try not to anticipate too much ahead of time. I heard one really great thing by a friend, Mark Phelps. He said, 'Expectations are premeditated limits.' I kind of try to live by that as much as I can. Live without expectations and let what comes come."

McDonald's supporters believe "Mayday" could be on the verge of an impressive octagon run, beginning with Saturday's event. But if the bantamweight slugger shares in any of the anticipation, he certainly doesn't let it show.

"I attribute that to my faith," McDonald said. "I think that's the main source of my comfort, my peace, my skill, my motivation. I give it all to God, and I think that's where all my strength lies – everything that's allowed me to be here and handle it the way that I have. I truly believe all the glory goes to God in that sense.

"I can honestly that no matter what the outcome, this is just a really cool experience."

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