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“It was really hard, especially after the second time,” Nguyen said. “I went to the Contender fight, I won and I didn’t get signed. I felt like I had outclassed my opponent in all three rounds; he couldn’t even touch me. So yeah, it was definitely tough to come back, but my manager, Jason House, and my coach (Sayif Saud) were like, “Hey, just wait for that last minute call. You might be called in with a week’s notice to replace him. So I waited, I trained, I stayed in shape and I stayed on the weight. The call came several times, then sometimes it fizzled out. Either I got hurt, or the fight didn’t happen, or they picked someone else to step in to fight this guy. But everything happens for a reason, and during that time I got better, focused on the things I needed to work on, and knew my time was coming. I knew I had the skills, I had the confidence, and then I got the call for the final Contender fight.
September 12, 2023. Nguyen vs. compatriot AJ Cunningham on DWCS.
Saturday’s full fight card preview
“I knew this would be my last chance,” Nguyen said. “I was like, I’m not going to get any more calls after this.”
Nguyen trained accordingly, knowing that yes, despite an impressive 8-1 record, a legitimate talent and Saud and the Fortis MMA team in his corner, he probably wouldn’t get another call anytime soon if he did not reach its target on the third. time.
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