Larkin is willing to test Berkhamov at Bellator 283
The pounds matter more to Lorenz Larkin than the opponents.
Yes, the Bellator star is dropping to welterweight again. After a successful two-fight foray into the 185-pound division, Larkin is headed back to 170 pounds.
At 5-foot-11, Larkin feels middleweight, where his opponents are often taller and enter the cage significantly heavier, isn't the best fit.
“My thing is, you know, I'm always down for an exciting fight. But to a certain extent, those guys get really big,” said Larkin, who fought at middleweight as recently as May 6 when he knocked out Kyle Stewart at Bellator 280 in Paris. “It's bad enough dealing with somebody on your own skill level, but then you're adding in that size. It's a whole other playing field.”
At the end of the day, no matter the weight class, Larkin is good for a fight. As evidenced by dropping a weight division in three months, just let him know when and where and give him the contract.
Look no further than Larkin putting his six-fight winning streak on the line with his agreement to take on Mukhamed Berkhamov on the Bellator 283 main card tonight at Emerald Queen Casino and Hotel in Tacoma, Washington.
Not only is the 28-yearold Berkhamov another of a seemingly endless line of top-flight fighters out of Russia, but he is 15-1 and hasn't lost in nearly 10 years.
Berkhamov's Bellator debut in October resulted in a guillotine-choke submission at 4:05 of the first round over Jaleel Willis at Bellator 268.
Larkin (24-7) concedes he doesn't know much about Berkhamov, instead leaving that up to his coaches at Millennia MMA in Rancho Cucamonga.
“The main thing is, I just know he's tough. And I'm pretty sure no other guys are trying to fight him,” Larkin said. “At this point in my life, that's what I'm looking for.”
Larkin is disenchanted with the methodical career paths by some fighters these days, when preserving pristine records while boosting their brand and bank account take precedence over proving yourself against top competition.
Having launched his pro MMA career 13 years ago, Larkin is willing to take on all comers.
“Guys are calling out people strategically, like to put them in the right spot, but not endangering where their spot is. They're picking the safe fights,” Larkin said. “My thing is, if I'm fighting at an `A-tier' level, like why am I trying to handpick people, you know what I mean?
“I'm trying to fight the best of the best, guys that nobody else wants to fight. Because eventually, you have no option. You're gonna have to fight these guys. So I might as well. Once when they get on the roster, give them to me.”
The proof is on Larkin's fight ledger. After 10 fights in the UFC in less than 3½ years, Larkin entered Bellator as a free agent in 2017 with considerable buzz. The Riverside fighter was coming off victories over Jorge Masvidal and Neil Magny and was promptly thrown into the deep end.
Larkin dropped a unanimous decision to welterweight champion Douglas Lima in June 2017, then three months later suffered a knockout loss to Paul Daley.
Larkin emphasized that his obstacles have been tempered by consistency and success. For example, after losing three in a row in the UFC, he rattled off four victories in his last five fights there. And since the Daley loss, he has gone on a sixfight tear.
“These are just things that I might come across, but at the end of the day, you know, I'm just going to keep fighting,” Larkin said of the losses. “I'm going to forget about it once when I get back home and get back to work, you know, and that's all I've been doing. I've just been grinding away.
“I don't need to make no noise. I don't need to do all the theatrics (stuff), you know? I just got to get back in the lab and work, work and work and then fight.”
After having fought for a title in his Bellator debut five years ago, Larkin doesn't sweat the rankings or challenging for a championship belt.
He just wants to fight. And Berkhamov is up next.
“I know he's a wrestler and a grappler, where I maybe just see him thinking that he's gonna impose his will on me. And it's not happening the way he thinks it's gonna happen,” Larkin said. “I think he's gonna have a hard time with the wrestling with me and all that type of thing. And I hope he doesn't think that I'm out of shape. Because I feel good.”