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UFC Shenzhen is here as the MMA fighters head to China for UFC Fight Night 157.
One of the fights to look forward to on the card is Derrick Krantz vs Song Kenan. The two fighters are set to face each other, headlining the Preliminary Card. Krantz' debut in UFC did not work out in his favor; however, he had taken that fight on extremely short notice.
Now with proper preparation, he is more ready than ever to leave the right impression on the UFC audience.
I had the chance to ask him a few questions before his fight against Song Kenan.
Catch all the action from UFC Shenzhen live exclusively on Ten 2 and Ten 2 HD at 3:30 PM on the 31st of August.
Derrick Krantz
This being the second UFC fight in his career, I asked 'D-Rock' Derrick Krantz about how important the fight was to him.
DK: Every fight is important, especially my next one. I've probably trained the hardest I've ever trained for this fight. I'm excited to showcase my abilities and hit the ring.
This time around, Derrick Krantz has trained a lot harder than on previous occasions.
DK: For the most part, I've really picked up my strength conditionings and my cardio. Like getting up in early mornings, running, getting workouts in the afternoons, training in the evening. I really took it to a whole another level of professionalism, now that I can do this full time.
Asked whether he felt that more time would have helped him to perform better on the last occasion, Derrick Krantz had this to say.
DK: Absolutely, what fighter doesn't? I felt like he might have gotten 20% of D-Rock. Full training camp, he might not have made it out of the first round. But that's all he-say, she-say, it is what it is. I'm not going to dwell on it. I'm going to learn from it and keep going.
On facing Song Kenan, Derrick Krantz revealed that he was ready for his opponent.
DK: I watched videos on him. Of course I've studied. He's a dangerous fighter, he's tough, he hits hard, he comes to win. Our match-up makes to be a pretty good fight. I'm not looking past him, I know he's obviously dangerous. So, I'm going out there, keeping my mind right, my chin tucked, and I'm gonna try to put him out.
I asked him the age-old question. If stuck in an elevator with any UFC fighter, who would he prefer to be in the elevator with him?
DK: I'd like to be in the elevator with Kevin Aguilar. We're training partners. It's a brotherhood, wouldn't like to have anyone else.
DK: I do a little bit of woodworking. I fix up the house; I'm a little handyman. Every now and then I do a little skateboarding when I am not in training camp. I like to go camping with the family and try to make as many trips as possible... trying to live life to the fullest!
Talking about where he would like to be in 5 years, Derrick Krantz said the following.
DK: Who knows? Maybe I'll be World Champion before then! If not, then I'll be knocking on that door!
