CHICAGO – Norbert Novenyi thinks the skills are there in all facets, but there are still untrainable intangibles that come with fighting for real.
At Bellator 297, Novenyi (6-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) competes for the second time in less than four months, though the pair of fights came after a nearly three-year layoff. There’s no substitute for actual competition, but so far Novenyi hasn’t noticed much of a difference from training.
“The fact that no one is wearing shin pads and there’s small gloves, it’s a lot scarier and you feel the shots a bit more, as well,” Novenyi told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Tuesday. “But I do this day in and day out. This is what I do. I’m very consistent with what I do. Because everything comes naturally, it doesn’t feel so different.”
Novenyi, 23, is considered by many as one of the brightest up-and-comers in the sport. Despite his youth and inexperience, Novenyi remains positive with a different mindset than others.
“I was doing my weight cut at the end of last week and I’m like, ‘How lucky am I to get to cause myself pain and suffering in order to achieve greatness and chase something that I love?’ That’s rare,” Novenyi said. “For me to be able to perform in front of thousands of people, I was like, ‘This is it. This was the past three years where I couldn’t walk and I was at the gym – all the nights I was crying and this and that. I’m finally performing again. It’s amazing. Even this. This is the same way. I’m just looking forward to being in there.
Friday at Winstar Arena, Novenyi will take on Kamil Oniszczuk (9-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) in a middleweight belt. Every fight is a new experience and Novenyi is excited to figure out the challenges Oniszczuk presents. It’s really about getting the reps in at this point, as Novenyi thinks his skills are already championship-caliber.
“I look at (Bellator middleweight champion) Johnny Eblen and all these guys and I truly believe that I technically, and it might sound very cocky, but I believe that my striking is better than these guys,” Novenyi said. “I believe my jiu-jitsu is better than these guys and I believe my wrestling is better than these guys. That’s what I started with wrestling, right? I believe my wrestling can match their wrestling as well.
“I just don’t have the experience yet. I’ve only had six fights and am only 23. I’m not rushing anything. I’m just going to do my thing, beat as many people up as they give me, and then, when it’s time to fight for the title, I’ll be there. I’ll be ready.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.
