By Kelsey Mowatt

Although Eddie Wineland was coming off unanimous decision losses to two of the world’s top fighters in Joseph Benavidez and Urijah Faber, naturally the bantamweight didn’t want to test the UFC’s patience by incurring a third consecutive defeat. In the end, not only did Wineland score one of the UFC on FX 3 card’s more memorable stoppages, he and opponent Scott Jorgensen walked away with “Fight of the Night” honors.

“Everyone hates to lose; I don’t ever want to lose but it does happen,” said Wineland, who KO’d the former contender in the second round. “Everybody’s going to lose no matter what, but, I think a win was imperative here. If I would have lost, who’s to say I would have been gone, but that was the way I was thinking. If I lose, I’m out of a job.”

“I think that backed me into a wall, backed me into a corner, and when you back a dog into a corner he’s always going to fight better,” the 27 year-old Wineland furthered. “I fought without fear, with relentlessness, and I did what I needed to do.”

Heading into the June 8th bout, Wineland predicted that in keeping with the wrestler’s aggressive style,Jorgensen would look to “stand and trade”. Wineland had also added that he believed his striking skills would win out.

“I knew I was going to be faster; I knew that I was going to hit harder and I knew that I was going to be more techical,” said Wineland (19-8), who is 7-3 in his last 10 fights. “I just let go; I did what I needed to do. When I get in there and start letting loose I become very dangerous. I don’t think there’s anybody who can beat me when I let loose.”

While Wineland’s hands ultimately brought about the win, the fighter’s wrestling skills played a fundamental role in allowing that to happen. Although Jorgensen was able to take Wineland down, the WEC vet defended other attempts and even scored his own takedown on the three time, Pac-10 champ.

“I knew that the shot was always a possibility,” Wineland noted. “I knew that sooner or later he was going to try to take me down. Being the faster and stronger guy it worked to my advantage and I actually put him on his back.”

“I wanted to put him on his back, and whether I tried to hold him there or not, I just wanted to show people that ‘hey, this is one of the division’s top wrestlers and he just got taken down’…I’ve been wrestling since basically I could walk, so you can’t really consider wrestling as my weakness.”

Wineland's cut (photo via Twitter @EddieWineland)

Of course, the bout was awarded “Fight of the Night” honors due to the performance Jorgensen put on as well, which included opening a large gash over Wineland’s left eye.

“I got a sixty day suspension because of the cut; it was pretty deep,” Wineland said. “Dana White said at the post fight press conference that it was one of the three worst cuts he’s ever seen. That’s just who I am, if I’m bleeding, I don’t care; I’ll keep fighting.”

Thanks to the win, when Wineland is ready to return, one would think that the veteran will face yet another of the division’s more established fighters.

“I would say top three, top five, without a doubt,” said Wineland while discussing what might lie ahead opponent wise. “I think Jorgensen was sitting number six before I knocked him out, and I did what basically the champion couldn’t do, and (Renan) Barao, who is fighting Faber next, couldn’t put him away. I did what everyone before me couldn’t do.”