“My back leg, that’s all my power, that’s all my movement,” he said. “Those are two big components that I use, and the last time I was able to adapt and overcome. So yeah, it definitely boosts my confidence for this fight.”
And while you might think that fighting someone close to his size might rattle the 30-year-old a bit, Waters has been there and done that in his pre-UFC days, and in preparation for Patterson, getting rounds in with fellow welterweight up and comer Phil Rowe (who checks in at 6-3) has only helped him go into Accor Arena with nothing but positive vibes.
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“Not only am I tall, but I’m really good at using my range and the distance management,” said Waters. “So I’m very excited for this matchup. The fan in me is very excited because Sam’s good. He’s very good, he’s very technical, he’s fundamentally sound, and his striking is sharp. He’s long, he knows how to use range and he’s very calculated. He doesn’t have much wasted movement. And I just love it. I love the matchup. I feel like this is really going to show my skill, and I’m just grateful. I know a win over Sam, especially a finish, will get me where I want to go.”
He’s right. It may have taken a little 16-month detour, but here he is, ready to pick up where he left off.
“My perspective is that when things happen, we just got to control the controllables and I just had to work around what I could not do,” Waters said. “And regardless, I’m always growing and I’m always getting better. And what truly matters is the progress. I’m grateful and I’m just excited.”