Stevenson’s One Angry Underdog

Joe Stevenson cannot understand why people view him as an underdog in his lightweight match with Kenny Florian at UFC 91 “Couture vs. Lesnar” this Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In fact, Stevenson says he has fought -- and beaten -- more formidable opponents in the past.

“There are a few people I fought when I was 17 that I think could beat him,” Stevenson told Beatdown Radio on Wednesday. “I fought people and beat people that are hands down better than him. I’ve got to prove that this weekend.”

Stevenson enters his bout with Florian holding a 29-8 record, with wins in five of his last six fights. Florian, meanwhile, sports a 10-3 mark and has won five straight. Despite a noticeable gap in mixed martial arts experience between the two, Florian remains the betting line favorite (as high as -200) and a popular pick among many fans. That perplexes Stevenson.

“I’m angry that people are making me such an underdog,” he said. “It’s upsetting -- not at Kenny because I think he’s a great guy -- just that the fans of maybe the ‘TUF’ era, as everyone always talks about, are so into what’s in front of them that they’ve forgotten what’s happened in the past.”

Florian raised his stock considerably at UFC 87 in August when he defeated Roger Huerta by unanimous decision. Stevenson, who submitted American Top Team’s Gleison Tibau at UFC 86, sees no comparison between himself and Huerta.

“They compare [me] trying to take the fight down to the ground to Roger and such,” Stevenson said. “Well, I’ve wrestled since I was 11 years old, and I’ve been doing jiu-jitsu since I was 13 years old. I just feel I have a more credible wrestling background than Huerta.”

Stevenson will enter his UFC 91 bout as a newly christened Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Robert Drysdale. Even with Stevenson’s ground acumen, both fighters have their share of submission victories, and Florian -- also a BJJ black belt -- has been known to deliver extensive damage using his elbows. One of those elbows opened a cut on former lightweight champion Sean Sherk during their bout in 2006, and while Sherk left the cage victorious, Florian made sure he did not walk away unscathed.

Interestingly enough, Stevenson views Florian’s reliance on elbows as a sign of weakness.

“It’s pretty cut and dry for me,” he said. “His elbows aren’t fight-ending because of the devastation. I look at it like he’s trying to end the fight with a cut, and I’ve been down that road before. I don’t see it being a problem. If he tries to cut me to win the round or win the fight via stoppage, I look at it as him trying to find a way out, and I’m going to turn it up harder.”

Another question lingers in advance of their lightweight tussle. What will happen if the two contenders exchange standing? Florian owns a definitive height and reach advantage, and he trains under Mark DellaGrotte, one of the world’s premier striking coaches. Stevenson, a man who knows his limitations, does not seem too concerned.

“If I try to reach with him, I’m going to have a tough time in there,” he said. “I think he’s a better outside fighter than a lot of people give him credit for. I’m sure the guy has me by a few inches, but if you sit there and fight the short man’s game, you’re bound to win. I think I’m a better inside fighter.”

Win or lose, Stevenson plans to spend time with his family after the fight. Besides, most eyes in the division are pointed to UFC 94 in January, when 155-pound champion B.J. Penn will move up in weight to challenge welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre. Stevenson, who was soundly defeated by Penn earlier this year, understands the Hawaiian’s motivations.

“B.J.’s a fighter, and he wants to avenge a loss,” Stevenson said. “So whether he comes back down or stays up, I have to focus on what’s in front of me. I give him props for doing that because that’s what fighting is all about. It’s the same thing that any true fighter talks about. We want to be remembered not for ‘What if?’ but for what we did.”