A victorious Coy

Strikeforce Vet Fighting Former TUF Competitor For MFC Title Next

By Kelsey Mowatt

Following a knockout loss to Nathan Moore last January, and a split decision loss to Tyron Woodley prior, the future looked uncertain for Nathan Coy as the Strikeforce vet began exploring his options. While the accomplished wrestler possessed a winning record and held wins over noted fighters like J.T. Taylor, Mike Pierce and Rick Story, Coy wasn’t optimistic that more high profile bouts would be coming his way anytime soon.

“Getting the opportunity with the MFC was awesome,” said Coy, who after scoring a unanimous decision win over Patrick Mikesz at a W-1 card in October, found himself fighting welterweight prospect Dhiego Lima at the Maximum Fighting Championship’s 32nd card in January. “When I got that last minute call to fight Lima, it was exactly what I needed.”

“I had this feeling that I was going to have a hard time getting fights,” the 33 year-old Coy added. “At this point a lot of people want to protect their careers a little more…so I knew I was in a position where I would have to take a last minute fight. I was training in the gym and fortunately that came through and it was with an organization like the MFC.”

Coy went on to record a unanimous decision over Lima, and in handing the rising fighter his first professional loss, earned a shot at the vacant MFC welterweight title.

“I felt like the performance was what it needed to be,” said Coy (10-4) while reflecting on the win. “It was just a couple of weeks notice for the fight and I had to just get in there and get the win. It was really important to get the win at this point in my career. I can’t afford any losses…There was some good things in the fight; some things I would have liked to do differently, but that’s the fight game.”

Up next, Coy will face “Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 vet Ryan McGillivray (12-5) for the MFC’s welterweight belt on May 4th.

“The kids a scrapper; that’s all there is to it,” Coy noted about his next opponent, who submitted Diego Bautista at MFC 32 to entrench a shot at the vacant title. “He likes to fight; he’s a fighter and he’s going to bring it. I think he’s dangerous. He finishes people which is a great element to have.”

“My gameplan is to get after him and see how he can handle constant pressure,” Coy furthered. “I think his skills are good.”

Coy’s plan to impose “constant pressure” stems from a decorated wrestling career at Oregon State, which included winning All American honors.

“My background’s wrestling so I think it’s important to use wrestling,” Coy stated. “I’ve spent my entire life trying to perfect it so I can’t really throw it out. Now with that being said, he’s dangerous off his back, so when I put him on his back I’m going to have to be cautious….I also plan to make it an exciting fight though. I don’t want to just sit there; I look to do damage. That’s the goal.”

When FCF spoke with McGillivray recently, the Edmonton fighter relayed that he didn’t believe Coy was showing him “a lot of respect”, and that his opponent “seems very sure that he’s going to win this fight.”

“He’s trying to motivate himself,” said Coy, who decided to change things up last year and transferred from Team Quest and the Northwest U.S. to Florida’s American Top Team. “So whatever it takes him to do that. If he thinks I’m being disrespectful, well, whatever. I have confidence.”

“I’m confident I’m going to win, I probably said that, and he took offence to it. Good for him,” Coy added. “Hopefully that will make him train harder. I respect everybody who gets in the damn cage.”