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Last year was the biggest so far in the career of the 27-year-old mixed martial artist, earning a contract with the UFC and picking up his first win with the biggest promotion in the sport.
For years, it had beenthe goal at the top of his list and one that led to him relocating from Wellington to Auckland to chase.
Now, for the first time in a long time, Stirling (6-0; 1-0 UFC) has adjusted his scope as he returns against Ivan Erslan (14-4; 0-1 UFC) at UFC 315 in Montreal, Canada, on Sunday.
“After the year ended, I always self-reflect over the year, and I was proud of what I achieved,” he told the Herald.
“The whole part was getting my foot in the door, and now that my foot is in the door, I’ve come into this year relinquishing all of my praise and all of that. I feel like I’m back on the bottom, I’m starting all over again.
“I’m coming in here on the prelims, no one has a lick of who [I am], they don’t know anything about me. All they’ve heard about me is hype.”
Navajo Stirling earned a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series last year. Photo / Christopher Reive
Reflecting on how things have changed since making his UFC debut last December, Stirling said his fire and passion for his work had been reignited.
“For the years leading up to the UFC, it was getting a little distant. I held on, but when you’re always coming in and fighting guys you’re meant to beat and you’re the favourite, and just getting a fight is tough enough, I felt in some of those fights like I was cruising. Even though I was getting crazy finishes and crazy wins, I didn’t have that dark hunger in me to really pull the trigger with that emotional intent. I didn’t have that.
“I was just kind of in robot mode, but now that fire is being relit and I feel like I’ve got that insatiable hunger. I’m going to be hitting with bad intentions, that emotional content is back inside me. I’m really looking to launch it this fight.”
Stirling and Erslan will be making the walk to the octagon for the second time, with the Croatian falling to a split decision loss against veteran Ion Cutelaba in his promotional debut.
It’s a match-up that fans should have circled on the run sheet, with plenty of power and striking-dominant athletes on both sides of the cage.
“The level is high. That’s what I’ve been preparing for [with] all my skills so that when I get to the highest heights and things like athleticism and punching power, everybody has that.
“We’ve got to bring it down to who’s got the better skills. I believe that’s what I’ve been preparing for and even though I’ve only had six [MMA] fights, he’s got three times more experience than me, [but] I believe I’ve got a better skill set.
“I’ve fought heaps of guys like him, I’ve broken opponents down you know, these slow plodders that try and get you in the later rounds. The thing about me, I like to fight on the back foot forward and I don’t get tired so I’m looking to really showcase what I have.”
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.
