Home of Fight Interview

In a recent interview with Jake Noecker from Home of Fight, Pat Downey, fresh off his controversial IBJJF Worlds appearance, opens up about his rapid ascent in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, his upcoming grappling match with UFC fighter Andre Petroski, and his ambitious plans for the future.

IBJJF Drama

Downey’s recent performance at the IBJJF Worlds has been the talk of the combat sports world. Despite dominating his opponent, Shamil Mertazailiev, with an 8-0 lead and six advantages before submitting him, Downey found himself disqualified due to a post-submission gesture.

“I was up 8-0, six advantages, and then I put him to sleep,” Downey recounts. “It was, you know, not even – my most competitive match was that guard player I played in the semis.”

DQ Prevents Gold Medal

The controversy didn’t end with the submission. Downey explains, “The whole time he’s asleep, they’re keeping me on the mat because they’re discussing the disqualification. Now, he got woke up through a temper tantrum and got banned for two years. But I still got DQ’d.”

Downey argues that his gesture was merely an emulation of what he’s seen countless times in BJJ competitions. “I’ve never seen them penalize – I’ve seen them penalize Merrick Gulley for flipping off an opponent’s coach. Right. I’ve seen that disqualified. But I’ve never seen them, after a successful submission, penalize a Brazilian for doing this gesture.”

Fastest Black Belt in BJJ

Despite the controversy, Downey’s rapid progress in BJJ is undeniable. He revealed that he only started training jiu-jitsu full-time six months ago, making his recent purple belt promotion all the more impressive.

“I just started training jujitsu six months ago, full time,” Downey states. “I’m really refining myself as an athlete. I’m getting this black belt. You know, I’m going in the path.”

Downey’s ambition doesn’t stop there. He’s set his sights on becoming the fastest black belt ever. “My vision is to become the fastest black belt ever,” he declares. “I feel like it’s attainable based on, not that I’ll compete at IBJJF worlds again, but if in theory, next year I could go win again and get brown next and then I could just do that again the year after, two years and have black.”

Fury Grappling vs Petroski

Downey’s next challenge comes in the form of UFC fighter Andre Petroski at Fury Grappling on December 28th. When asked about Petroski, Downey didn’t mince words:

“I don’t know him personally, but I’ve just seen him throughout his fighting career claiming to be the best grappler in MMA. So I was like, oh, okay. Bold statement, Cotton. Let’s see how that matches up December 28th, because I was just grappling with Khamzat for a month, and I think he’s the best grappler in MMA.”

On the Horizon

Downey’s ambitions extend beyond grappling competitions. He’s set his sights on the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) and its million-dollar prize. “CJI 2 in August, I’m definitely going to run that back and, you know, redeem myself and get that million. That’ll feel good,” Downey says.

However, when asked about the possibility of joining a UFC reality show, Downey was clear about his priorities. “It’s nothing I would ever consider. I think that’s for younger men. I’m trying to create my family here. I’m not going to go and be a part of some spectacle. I miss my dog and my girl too much.”

Whether he’s competing in BJJ tournaments, grappling with UFC fighters, or aiming for that million-dollar CJI prize, one thing is clear, Pat Downey is here to stay, and he’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers along the way.

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By Published On: December 14th, 2024Categories: Latest Fighting & MMA News: Results, Rumors & More