Pat Walsh will be returning to the light heavyweight division on Friday when he meets Jesse McElligott on the main card of CES MMA 30.
You likely remember Walsh from his time in the UFC. He was member of Team Edgar during The Ultimate Fighter 19 and was a semifinalist in the light heavyweight tournament.
Walsh (5-2) would end up making his official UFC debut at the live finale and scored a decision win against Dan Spohn. His next fight would take place seven months later and would be in a new weight class, which was scheduled to be middleweight at UFC Fight Night 60.
On weigh-in day, Walsh would not be able to make weight and would end up losing a decision. Shortly after that fight, the UFC decided to part ways with Walsh. With how everything went down, you have to wonder why Walsh decided to move down from light heavyweight to middleweight. The answer to that question is that it was UFC match maker Joe Silva that told him to move down to the 185 pound division.
“I did not want to go down to 185,” Walsh told The MMA Report recently. “Joe Silva kind of gave me an ultimatum. I go down to 185 or I do not take a fight. I agreed to it. I weighed 240 when I took the fight with about two and a half months out. Lost 50 pounds and not the 55 I needed to.”
“I am 5’11 and walk around at 232. I am pretty lean right now and I can make 185, but it just takes a little longer,” he continued. “We were talking about 205 and I was on the show at 205. It was kind of a thing we have a conversation about my height and I guess this fight came up. He thought I had more of a career at 185. Apparently there is a lot more guys signed by the UFC at 185 than 205. He just said he did not see myself fitting well at 205. He doesn’t really understand that I walk at 240. That I lift and I can show up at 230 being lean and cutting down. I am just stronger and better fighter at 205 right now until I correctly cut that weight and change my body type.”
Along with Friday night being his return to light heavyweight, it will also be his return to the CES MMA promotion. Walsh has been working on several new skills since his last fight and is looking to impress the MMA community with a stoppage victory against McElligott.
“I had some good fights in The Ultimate Fighter with being tough and strong. I have improved all of that and in my last fights, I have not been able to show it. It’s a little frustrating so for this next fight, it’s going to be exciting to show off my skills. It’s not just about the quick finish. I just excited to showcase my skills.”