Palmer (photo via Twitter / @LancePalmer)

Training With Team Alpha Male Leaves Him “Humbled” Everyday

By Kelsey Mowatt

As mixed-martial-arts continues to grow and evolve, there’s no shortage of ‘prospects’ in the sport. Most would agree, however, that the term is probably utilized far too often.

Well, since four time All-American wrestler Lance Palmer made his pro debut in 2011, the 25 year-old has won seven straight fights and the Resurrection Fighting Alliance featherweight belt. This Saturday, he’ll battle Georgi Karakhanyan for the inaugural World Series of Fighting championship. If someone was looking for an example of the label ‘prospect’ being misused, they almost certainly wouldn’t point in Palmer’s direction.

“It was pretty cool,” Palmer said while appearing on Full Contact Fighter Radio recently, while discussing being booked to fight Karakhanyan for the 145 championship. “Going straight from the RFA title in June to this is pretty exciting. It’s always good to keep testing yourself and that’s the whole point of the sport. To test yourself and get better each fight.”

Palmer worked his way to split decision win over Jared Downing at RFA 8, before signing with WSOF this fall. The championship win came approximately two years after his pro debut.

“I kind of went with the flow when I first started fighting,” said the Team Alpha Male member, when asked if he anticipated his rapid ascension up the featherweight ranks. “You never know where you’re going to be in the future. You just kind of take it day by day, and try to get better each day.”

“I always had high aspirations for myself and I’m always looking to shoot higher for each fight,” the Ohio State University alumni relayed. “It’s good to be where I’m at now, and I’m just enjoying every second of training and every fight that I have.”

Palmer (photo via Tapology.com)

And how does “The Party” keep his ego and emotions level, considering the significant attention his career is already garnering?

“If you look at the guys I train with every day that’s all I really need to keep everything in check,” said Palmer, while referring to a team which includes UFC  stars like Urijah Faber, Joseph Benavidez, and Chad Mendes. “I train with one of the best, if not the best, lightweight gyms in the world. So everyday you go into practice and you come out humbled.”

“I think that’s all you really need to keep yourself in check; a team like I have, with guys like that to keep me grounded,” Palmer furthered. “You learn every day…I don’t really have a chance to get cocky.”

In Karakhanyan, Palmer will face a man who has nearly four times as many pro bouts under his belt, despite the fact he’s just 3 years older at 28. The veteran is currently riding an eight fight win streak, and the only man to beat Karakhanyan in his last ten fights is Patricio “Pibtull” Freire.

“I don’t really have concerns. As far as technique wise he likes to, from the bottom he’s really active,” said Palmer, when asked if anything in particular about Karakhanyan’s game concerns him. “He works his submissions off the bottom; he’s good on the bottom, so I’m going to have to press. Good pressure, same as Joe Warren did to him, same exact thing as Joe.”

“On our feet, I know he’s good technique on his feet; doesn’t really push the pace, and I know he gets tired. My last fight was a five round war, so I’m going to be ready for five rounds if it has to go that far.”

WSOF 7 will be hosted by Vancouver’s PNE Agrodome in Vancouver, British Columbia.