There’s plenty left in the tank for Todd Duffee.
The former UFC heavyweight is scheduled to resume his career Saturday, and he believes this is the start of a lengthy run and not just a one-off. Duffee (9-3) returns in the main event of KSW 79 in Liberec, Czech Republic, as he’s set to take on champion Philip De Fries in a rematch.
Despite being away from the fight game for over three years, Duffee, now 37, believes he can hang with the guys at the top and even the ones coming up too.
“My brain is still here, my reflexes are still here, and my physicality and athleticism is still here – and you’ll definitely see that on display (Saturday),” Duffee told MMA Junkie Radio. “I feel like I have five or six years.
“Like you said, I haven’t taken much punishment. … A year or two ago, I looked at the average age of the UFC heavyweights, and they were 36. So I don’t have this idea that I’m too old or anything like that. I feel very competitive. I’m not seeing young 20-year-olds that are more physical than me, so I feel pretty confident in that aspect.”
The last time Duffee and De Fries fought was back in 2012 at UFC 155. That night in Las Vegas, Duffee knocked out De Fries in a little over two minutes to win a $50,000 bonus for Knockout of the Night.
Duffee sees an improved De Fries a decade later but not a different fighter.
“I think Phil is incredibly tough. I thought he was tough when we fought the first time,” Dufee explained. “I can tell you what Phil said in his own interviews. He’s dealt with his anxiety, and he claims that his resurgence in his career has everything to do with his anxiety medication and managing his anxiety.
“Has he changed? Yeah, he’s matured. He’s gotten a lot more physical, it looks like. He’s developed as a fighter, but he’s still pretty much Phil De Fries. You can only change so much. He’s definitely grown, I don’t know how much he’s changed.”
