Edmonton — With his back to a wall on a three-fight skid, Nate Landwehr is moving up a division at UFC Edmonton this Saturday.
It’s a move that has been on Landwehr’s mind for a while, but his current situation finally had him pull the trigger, he told Cageside Press during Wednesday’s UFC Edmonton media day.
“I been thinking about it pretty much my whole career, but it’s hard to switch up things when you’re on a streak like that. Now, down three, man I’ve got nothing to lose. That’s kind of where I’m at,” Landwehr (18-8) stated ahead of his fight with Mandel Nallo at Rogers Place in Edmonton. “What’s going to happen to me that hasn’t happened to me? I’m about that life, I’ve been about that life. I’ve been split down to the bone. I’ve been lumped up, been hurt, been limping, everything. So come Saturday night, I’m ready to go out and showcase my heart.”
Landwehr does believe the move could extend his career, he later told media outlets in attendance. “A hundred percent on that. And I feel like this lightweight Nate packing a punch. My punching power has increased. And the speed is there, for like the speed advantage,” he added. “From 45 to 55 is not too crazy of a jump. He’s one of the taller people, so it’s pretty similar. We’re going to deal with it.”
Mandel Nallo is a fighter who made a name for himself outside the UFC, including in Bellator, and took the long road to the big show. Landwehr also had a lengthy career prior to landing in the UFC, fighting for M-1 Global in Russia and winning a title there. There are some parallels to their career, Landwehr agreed, but only up to a point.
“Kind of, man,” Landwehr stated. “He ain’t been to Russia, I can tell you that.”
Speaking of Russia, Landwehr has fought there more than once, and has his second fight in Canada on the UFC Edmonton card this Saturday, after previously facing Dan Ige in Vancouver. Asked if there are any bucket list destinations he’d like to fight in, Landwehr wasn’t picky.
“They call me, I say yeah. The thing is, the UFC is where I belong, and the UFC is where I’mma hang my hat up.”
Watch the full UFC Edmonton media day appearance by Nate Landwehr above.