Aaron Riley prepares to set the record straight.
Written by Samantha L. Johnson
Going into UFC 96, Aaron Riley was riding a three-fight winning streak.
Less than a minute after the opening bell, that streak was brought to a screeching halt.
Referee Rick Fike had called a stop to the contest in just 44 seconds of the opening round after Riley had fallen to the mat, ready to defend himself against Shane Nelson’s ground and pound.
Everyone in attendance — including UFC president Dana White — was baffled by the call.
Riley’s reaction to the stop was what one would expect from a man who thought the fight was going as planned.
“I couldn’t believe the [referee] had screwed up that bad,” Riley said. “I was really in disbelief; in a state of denial. Just thinking, ‘This can’t be happening.’ It was really just the worst stoppage ever.”
Fast forward three months, Riley and Nelson will get a second shot to prove who is better on Aug. 8 at UFC 101 in Philadelphia.
Riley said he has an idea of what Nelson might bring, but isn’t sure because how quickly the first bout ended.
“I kind of got a feel for him,” Riley said. “I still feel like we haven’t really fought so I still kind of feel like this is the first fight going in. But, I did definitely get an impression from him.”
This rematch has recently become more intense.
While Nelson trains under BJ Penn in Hilo, Hawaii, it is Riley who travelled cross-country to train with Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, NM.
Jackson coached welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre to victory over BJ Penn in the fight now known as “Greasegate.”
Riley knows Nelson will be bringing his A-game to their meeting on Aug. 8, but after a six-week training camp with one of the best coaches in MMA, he’s more than prepared.
“Training camp is going really good. I’m out here at Greg Jackson’s and we’re covering a lot of good material,” said Riley.
Samantha L. Johnson is the News Team Lead for MMAMadness.com. Feel free to e-mail her at samantha@mmamadness.com. Follow us on Twitter. Twitter.com/mma_madness.
