Hall can’t escape hype ahead of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ season finale bout
Uriah Hall concedes that the hype surrounding him as he prepares for his official Ultimate Fighting Championship debut has begun to spiral out of control.
He can do nothing about it now, though.
Hall helped create the biggest buzz of any fighter to come through “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show by not only dispatching of all four of his opponents on the show but also sending them to the hospital.
The talk began with his spectacular finishes in his first two fights of the season and reached insane levels when his coach on the show, Chael Sonnen, essentially said he was ready to challenge any middleweight in the world, including longtime UFC champion Anderson Silva.
“I was shocked,” Hall said of his reaction to the statement. “I was like, ‘Whoa, give me time.’ Sometimes I guess as a coach you see things that (fighters) don’t see. He saw that potential. Maybe down the line at some time, it’s something that will happen, but it’s not something I’m pushing. I feel this guy’s a walking legend. If I ever get the opportunity one day, it would be great, but I’m not looking toward that. I’d rather earn my way up there like the rest of the guys.”
He first must earn his way into the UFC, which he will attempt to do when he fights Kelvin Gastelum on the season finale card tonight at Mandalay Bay. Hall undoubtedly would be signed to a UFC contract even with a loss, but a victory would secure the guarantees that go to the season champion.
Hall concedes that he found it pretty cool when he started seeing people on the Internet referring to him as a real-life video game character. But the 28-year-old native of Jamaica who moved to New York when he was 13 knows that nothing anyone has said about him will matter once the bell rings.
“I think a lot of people are looking at me like I’m the guy to beat or, can this guy be beat or whatever, but I don’t feed into that because I go into the cage by myself,” he said. “I don’t think I have anything to prove to anybody. I do this alone. I have no one’s expectations to live up to but myself.”
Gastelum, 21, put together several impressive performances but flew under the radar because of all the talk about Hall. Despite entering the cage as more than a 3-1 underdog, Gastelum hopes to become the youngest fighter to win a season title.
“I like proving people wrong,” he said.
Gastelum was complimentary of Hall and his talent but is growing tired of being the guy no one is talking about.
“It’s kind of bittersweet,” he said. “I’m comfortable in the role of underdog, but I’m also tired of hearing the Uriah Hall hype train.
“Sometimes it gets out of control. He did perform, and he deserves it, but sometimes I take a look at the (Internet) forums and see what’s going on, and people say he should fight Anderson Silva next, which is ridiculous.”
After filming on the show wrapped, Hall returned to the East Coast to train under his coach, Tiger Schulmann. Hall had compiled a professional record of 7-2 before the four fights on the show, which count as exhibitions. His only losses came against Chris Weidman and Costa Philippou, who both are top contenders in the UFC.
Schulmann believes the time spent training under Sonnen in Las Vegas was good for his prized pupil.
“I think the show kind of showed him that he is as good as I thought he was,” Schulmann said. “He got to come out and train with guys he looks up to and sees on TV, and it made him realize, ‘Wow, I am good.’ People think he’s just a talent, but he’s not just a talent. He works really hard in the gym every single day. Never misses a day of training, so he’s got the discipline, too. He works so hard, and that’s why he can be as good as he wants to be.”
Hall will attempt to take the first steps toward fulfilling his UFC potential when he fights Gastelum on the card, which airs tape-delayed on FX (Cable 24) at 9 p.m.
The main event pits close friends Urijah Faber and Scott Jorgensen in a bantamweight contender bout. Heavyweight Travis Browne looks to bounce back from a loss when he takes on Gabriel Gonzaga.
Also, Miesha Tate will fight Cat Zingano in the first UFC women’s bout that doesn’t include Ronda Rousey. The winner will coach the next season of “The Ultimate Fighter” against Rousey and then fight her for the belt.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.