By Kelsey Mowatt, photo Esther Lin / Strikeforce

Since arriving in Strikeforce last year, Caros “The Future” Fodor has done everything to live up to his nickname, as the AMC Pankration fighter has won three straight bouts to demonstrate he’s one of the promotion’s fastest rising lightweights. Fighting on Strikeforce’s Challengers cards, a series dedicated to the organization’s up-and-coming talent, Fodor has scored wins over Ousmane Thomas Diagne, Derek Getzel, and most recently David “Tarzan” Douglas, to approach ‘big league’ player status.

“I think I’m an up-and-comer,” Fodor told FCF, when asked where he believes he resides in Strikeforce’s lightweight division. “I don’t think I’m anywhere near a title shot. There are probably five good guys ahead of me, but I think for this next guy I’d love to start fighting contenders. Hopefully within my next five fights, with this next contract, if I keep winning I can get a title shot.”

Fodor’s aforementioned win over Douglas took place at a Challengers event in Stockton, California on April 1st, when the 27 year-old Kirkland, Washington resident stopped the Cesar Gracie fighter in round three, to extend his overall record to 8-2. Douglas was coming off back-to-back wins over Dominic Clark and Nick Gonzalez in Challengers competition, and prior to facing Fodor, the lightweight’s only defeat under Strikeforce came against another fast-rising phenom Justin Wilcox.

“I was pretty happy with it,” Fodor said, while discussing his latest performance. “The only thing I regret is that I wasn’t really able to go after him in the third round like I wanted to. I had a lot of lactic acid built up in my arms from those chokes, so, it kind of slowed me down. Other than that, everything went great.”

Another point of note in Fodor’s latest victory was that he turned to his striking skills, to finish Douglas off with a flurry of punches and knees while working from the clinch. The win served as a reminder that although Fodor has recorded seven wins via submission, the experienced kickboxer continues to be a threat on his feet.

“I think so,” said Fodor, when asked if some people may overlook his striking abilities on account of his submission victories. “I think in almost all my fights I’ve hurt people with my strikes, and then we end up going to the ground where I submit them. I want to have a fight where I can really showcase my striking, but our game plan for my last few opponents has been to wear them down in the clinch. But yeah, my striking is a big part of it.”

Like any promising fighter, however, Fodor understands that he has work to do before he is ready to compete at the sport’s highest levels.

“I think I can work on everything, especially in my transitions” Fodor noted. “I work a lot from the clinch and wear people down, but I kind of want to get away from that a little bit, be more effective and see more movement; just let go and get some shots in.”

Of course in his evolution as a fighter, Fodor can continue to rely on the wisdom of the AMC Pankration team and its head instructor Matt Hume, who the lightweight credits for changing his life.

“Oh man, they’ve done everything,” said Fodor, who in addition to fighting works full time as a caregiver for foster kids. “Ever since I came to that gym my life has slowly changed for the better. When I showed up there I was a complete turd; I was just looking for trouble, and now with Strikeforce, everything is just going so good right now, I can’t imagine not finding AMC. It completely changed my life.”