When a new face shows up in the UFC’s Octagon, there is normally a bit of hype that accompanies that fighter. And while today that excitement may not be present for every debuting fighter due to the sheer number of athletes in the sport, back in 2007 that wasn’t quite the case. Terry Etim knows what that hype is like. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t able to live up to those expectations because of circumstances both in and out of his control. And now he is poised to make a new debut with considerably less fanfare.
The date was April 21, 2007 when English fighter Terry Etim stepped into the Octagon for the first time at UFC 70. Matt Grice would be his opponent, and they would put on a fast-paced bout that would end in the first round, as Grice was chocked unconscious. That was his tenth straight victory in a two-year professional career that had caught the attention of many pundits within the sport. However, the momentum would turn, as Gleison Tibau and Rich Clementi would dominate Etim in his next two bouts.
Fighting for his career at UFC 89, Etim would batter Sam Stout over three rounds in a bout that would set off a four-fight win streak and push Etim into contender status as a lightweight. But Rafael dos Anjos put a stop to that when he became the first fighter to stop Etim, tapping him in the second round via armbar at UFC 112. Etim won one more fight under the Zuffa banner before being hit with the spinning wheel kick heard around the world courtesy of Edson Barboza. One more loss, to Renee Forte at UFC on Fuel TV 7, and Etim was sent packing from the UFC’s ranks.
When Etim was on, he was on. During his UFC run he earned four Submission of the Night paychecks, which is still tied for the most any fighter has attained. Even still, injuries kept Etim from being the fighter that many expected him to become. Towards the end of his UFC career, Etim missed extensive time due to injuries to his back and ribs which forced him out of two planned bouts with Joe Lauzon. Etim was cut from the UFC in February of this year, but signing with Bellator has created an opportunity that should work out well for the Brit.
Tonight, Etim will face Patrick Cenoble at Bellator 109. He should be favored to take this bout and earn the chance to appear in the next lightweight tournament. Bellator has spent significant money this year to bring in ex-UFC fighters, many of whom have fallen to the promotion’s developing stars. Etim, on the other hand, is a signing that could interject himself into the promotion’s title picture. Looking at the Bellator roster, the toughest and most interesting matchups for Etim would be Saad Awad, Will Brooks, David Rickels, and Michael Chandler. Outside of those four, we should expect the 27-year-old Etim to be favored in every matchup, which could make for the kind of career rebirth that he needs.
While Etim is fighting in the opening bout on the main card, this is a must-see fight for gauging what version of Terry Etim will be entering Bellator MMA. Will fight fans see the injury-plagued fighter, or the combatant that displayed some of the best grappling abilities in the lightweight division? For Etim’s sake, let’s hope that it’s the latter.
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Bellator 109 will take place on November 22, 2013 at Sands Casino Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
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