Las Vegas — Light heavyweight Damian Piwowarczyk is the most recent addition to the UFC’s 205lb roster, after knocking out Emilio Quissua on the Contender Series this week.
A KSW veteran and former title challenger in that promotion, Piwowarczyk (12-4) was a little concerned about earning a UFC deal on the show this week, but knew the first-round finish would help him. Especially since he had the only knockout in Week 7.
“I’m a slow starter as a fighter, so my first minute is not always great. I know Emilio is faster than be, he has better movement on his feet, but I’m a really tough guy, I can take a lot of damage, and my fist is really heavy,” Piwowarczyk told media outlets including Cageside Press following the fight.
Despite Quissua winning the first minute of the bout, “I was not really tired in this fight, and I think in the fourth or fifth minute of the fight, Emilio was looking tired. And then I go faster and faster, and like always, hit him with my right hand. And that’s it.”
While there’s been a recent trend of Contender Series winners making quick turnarounds into their UFC debuts, that won’t be the case for Damian Piwowarczyk. That’s because he suffered an injury in the fight.
“I broke my foot, so I must go to the doctor and see what happened. But if possible, I want to fight in like three, four months. Maybe in January next year.” First up, a celebration meal with some victory kebab, added Piwowarczyk.
The break came when he threw a leg kick, “like second kick, low kick. When I hit Emilio on the leg, he checked my leg kick, and I feel something not good in my feet, but I tried not thinking about this later.”
Watch the full Dana White’s Contender Series Season 10, Week 7 post-fight press conference with Damian Piwowarczyk above.