Athletes
Randy Brown: Still Marching Forward
Welterweight Randy Brown Is Searching For The Type Of Performance That Everyone Will Remember When He Faces Muslim Salikhov
January 30th marked eight years since Randy Brown made his first appearance in the UFC Octagon. He made the walk that evening as an undefeated 25-year-old prospect with more than enough skill to become a real player in the welterweight division.
Today “Rudeboy” has established himself as a contender who has essentially grown up on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts. The 33-year-old Brown has fought 16 times in the UFC, going 11-5 over that span. He’s been a true professional during his UFC tenure.
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Brown has never missed weight and he’s never lost back-to-back fights. He’s done everything the right way since the beginning, and all that’s missing has been his moment to truly break through into the top tier at 170 pounds.
But the ups and downs of the fight game don’t have Brown worried. His calm and cool demeanor, combined with his unrelenting work ethic, amount to an unwavering confidence that his time is coming.
“For me, what that says is that I’m where I need to be, and I am who I think I am,” Brown told UFC.com.” I’ve had trips along the way, but I stayed consistent, and I stayed that guy. I kept believing that the goal will remain the same.”
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Brown points to other fighters such as Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira as inspirations for how doing things the right way over time will yield results.
“Look back at their careers. They had some stumbles along the way, and it took them a while; they didn’t just burst on the scene,” Brown said of Poirier and Oliveira. “In those times they stayed consistent, and they went every day, they showed up, they gave 100% effort every day. That’s what I am doing.
“I know who I am. I know where I’m heading.”
The truth is that one look at Brown’s resume and it’s evident that he’s competed right on the edge of the welterweight Top 15 for years, and right when he’d have his chance to get a number next to his name, he’d suffer a setback.
It’s not far-fetched for those type of losses to compound, to turn into days where practicing was to just go through the motions or to stop putting in the extra effort to evolve.
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That has and never will be the case for Brown. After a loss, he has recalibrated some things, but he’s never doubted where he’s going. Since the day he started MMA, his heart and his mind have been in lockstep.
“I’ve always been confident in my ability, and I’ve always been taught that I need to work toward being the best. I’ve always just been grinding,” Brown said. “I’ve never lost two fights in a row, ever in my entire career, because I’ve always learned from everything. I’ve always gone on streaks after a loss. I think my ability to learn, my ability to evolve, and my willingness to accept information is what makes me able to have this confidence.”
Brown was victorious in his most recent fight, a unanimous decision win over Wellington Turman last June. Although it was a win, he still used the fight as a learning opportunity, adding in new skills and wrinkles to his game so that he could start another winning streak.
His chance to put together two wins in a row comes at this weekend’s UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs Imavov when he faces highly respected striker Muslim Salikhov. It’s exactly the type of fight that Brown loves.
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And he can’t wait to mix it up with Salikhov.
“I think he’s a tremendous athlete and someone that is very underrated and easy to look past. I think Muslim is a very dangerous guy, a very calculated guy. He’s very explosive and accomplished,” Brown said. “At one point he was ranked No. 12 in the world. He was an accomplished kickboxer outside of MMA. If I take this guy lightly, I could be in some trouble. But I think he’s solid.”
Brown believes his battle with Salikhov could go a variety of ways, but more than anything, he’s happy to take what his opponent gives him and run with it. But more importantly, Brown has his sights on delivering that elusive breakthrough moment.
What that looks like to Brown is simple.
“Knocking m************ out,” he laughed. “Ultimately that is what it is right? I just got to put hands on people and have great performances that people are going to remember. That’s really it for me. Viral KOs and viral performances. That’s really it, and all you can ask for.”
UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs Imavov took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 3, 2024. See the final Main Card & Prelim Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
