TUF Winner Efrain Escudero will be featured on Spike TV when he battles Cole Miller.
Efrain Escudero is used to being the underdog.
In the “Ultimate Fighter” finale, many expected Philippe Nover to beat Escudero and win the show. Instead, Escudero pulled the upset, and in the process earned the six-figure contract.
Now, Escudero is looking to prove himself once again when he takes on Cole Miller at UFC 103.
“Once I beat Cole, everybody’s going to be shocked because a lot of people think he’s going to sub me,” Escudero told MMAMadness.com. “I’m out there to prove that I belong in this division.”
In Miller, Escudero finds himself between a rock and a hard place. Given his solid wrestling skills, Escudero has been successful in the past taking fights to the ground and controlling his opponents from top position.
The problem is, that is exactly what he thinks Miller wants him to do.
“He’s probably going to look to let me take him down and then work his submissions off of that,” Escudero said. “He doesn’t want to stand up and strike a whole lot.”
In preparation for Miller’s submissions, as well as his height, Escudero has brought in fighters to train with that have even longer reaches. The game planning is paying off.
“We broke down Cole Miller, we watched a lot of his videos,” Escudero said. “We know exactly what he’s going to do and when he’s going to do it.”
Part of Escudero’s game plan consists of staying one step ahead of Miller, and keeping the pace high.
“I can’t let him think, because as soon as I let him think he’s probably going to catch me with something,” Escudero said.
The last fighter who Miller caught with something was Junie Browning, a housemate of Escudero’s on the “Ultimate Fighter.” Browning left his neck exposed on a takedown attempt, and was promptly guillotined.
Escudero is not looking at that fight as a road map to beating Miller.
“I can’t look at that fight and take a whole lot out of it because it didn’t go very long,” Escudero said. “Just because Junie took him down doesn’t mean I got to go in there and take him down.”
Escudero’s training has reflected his respect for Miller’s skills, and he is excited to see that training pay off.
“I have to train for him like he was the best fighter in the world,” Escudero said. “At this point I’ve done my homework and it’s just [time] to go out there and show it.”
