Adam Fugitt knew he’d be able to finish Yusaku Kinoshita on the ground: “Kind of like a chess player, I switch up my strategy”

Adam Fugitt was confident he’d pull off the upset and finish Yusaku Kinoshita at UFC Vegas 68.

Fugitt was set for his second UFC fight against Kinoshita and was a sizeable underdog. Many were thinking the Japanese fighter would run through him and get the stoppage win. However, in the first round, Fugitt got Kinoshita down and got a TKO win.

“I try to be a complete mixed martial artist and when something isn’t going my way, kind of like a chess player, I switch up my strategy,” Fugitt said to BJPENN.com. “I expected him to be a little bit more aggressive. He really came out and put on a pressure offense kind of like I like to do and after eating a left hand and a kick, I knew I had to try and get I’m to the ground and wear him on the ground. The closer I got to the fight, the vision of getting it to the ground and getting a finish there became the clearest path to victory.”

Once Fugitt got Kinoshita down and felt his ground game, he got confident he would get the stoppage. He knew he was miles better than Kinoshita on the ground and when he stepped into mount he knew it was over.

“That was the moment when I stepped into mount I knew it was over. I’m in a dominant position and was going to throw elbows until the ref stopped it or the round was over,” Kinoshita said. “Once I got him to the ground and felt his ground game, I knew it was over.”

With Adam Fugitt getting his hand raised, he isn’t sure what is next for him or who he will fight. Yet, he says he is fine derailing people’s hype trains as he just did but his ideal goal is to be active this year.

“I haven’t had a lot of time to think about it. I only think about the fight until the day comes and haven’t really thought about what is next,” Fugitt said. “But, I do want to get back in there three or four times and just get some time in, in the UFC cage. I’m hoping to have a date very soon as I heard a rumor of me returning in June.”

Who would you like to see Adam Fugitt fight next?