Austin Green got into MMA with the hopes to become a champion. Coming off of winning the NFC heavyweight championship last Friday, he’s hoping to build momentum to reach Bellator or the UFC.
Green, 29, is 4-0 in his professional career and looks every bit the part of a heavyweight contender at 6’5” and “walking around weight” of 285 pounds. Now he’s the NFC heavyweight champion after he defeated Cam Graham at NFC 149. A former wrestler with AEW and arena league football player, Green knows the impact a championship can have on an athlete’s career. With his first title in hand, he’s hoping to make the most of it.
Austin Green Wants to Make the Most of His NFC Championship
“I always had a goal I wanted to win a belt,” Green told All Access MMA after his win last week. “I grew up always wanting to be a champion.”
“I feel like champions are the ones that get the recognition. Those are the ones that get the calls up to the big shows. When you’ve got that belt, when you’ve got a championship under your name, it puts a star next to your name that ‘Okay, he’s the real deal.’ It also just signifies that I’m for real and I’m someone to be on the lookout for.”
To get noticed, fighters have to fight, and Green aspires to work one more contest in before the end of the year, whether it’s defending his NFC belt, or answering the call from another promotion. Of course, the exposure from fighting in Bellator or the UFC certainly would outweigh smaller opportunities.
“I’m hoping to get a call-up to the UFC,” Green continued, “or even Bellator, a big promotion, because I’m at a good spot, 4-0 as a heavyweight. There’s not many heavyweights in the promotion, so everyone’s always looking for heavyweights. I’m looking to get a call-up, just waiting on my management. I’ve let them know that I’m looking to fight, I want to stay active to get at least one more in before the year’s over with. I’m hoping that’s with the UFC or a big promotion.”
Austin Green is Eyeing the UFC or Bellator for His Next Fight
If Bellator is the next move, Green named Jake Hager as someone he’d like to face. “We’re both professional wrestlers,” he said, “we’ve both wrestled for AEW, so that would be a good fight I’d like to get. We’re about the same record-wise.” He also noted the lack of depth in the UFC at heavyweight, believing it could be an opportunity to get some traction and move up the rankings.
Green’s observation of the division is apparently shared by UFC light heavyweight legend Jon Jones, who is preparing to make his return to the promotion at heavyweight. When asked how he thinks Jones will fare fighting up a division, Green didn’t hold back.
“It’s definitely different,” the NFC champion said, “He’s gonna feel it, because heavyweights, we hit a lot harder than those 205-ers. I know he trains with a lot of heavyweights, but it’s definitely a… it’s a big difference when you train with someone who walks around at 230 as opposed to fighting somebody who is walking around at 260-265. Like, that power… it’s different.”
