“Drew has been doing great,” concurs fellow coach Sean Madden. “The last couple fights he’s had have really showcased his growth. He’s really starting to be a force in that division.”
It was Dober’s fourth win in five fights, and the ferocity of the knockout certainly turned some heads. But for Dober, it was simply back to the gym, back to the drawing board. A lesser fighter would be tempted to think he had things figured out, but as he enters his seventh year in the UFC, Dober knows better.
“Even in that 67 seconds, there were things I did well, there were things I didn’t do too well, and those are redirecting my progression in the gym. What can we do better and how can we fix the holes in the game?”
If there were any holes that have indeed been fixed in the last six months, it could be a long night for Dober’s UFC 246 opponent, highly-touted up-and-comer Nasrat Haqparast. If both men bring their A-game, the bout is a legitimate dark horse for potential performance bonuses.
For their part, the coaches and teammates at Elevation can’t wait. Dober’s commitment to evolution and the team’s commitment to helping him achieve it is visibly a labor of love.