Joe Proctor

By Kelsey Mowatt

Although some fans may glance at the UFC record of Yancy Medeiros and question whether he’s cut out for the promotion, the man who will face him tonight at the TUF 20 Finale, clearly isn’t one of them.

Lightweight Joe Proctor is set to battle Medeiros in the Octagon tonight, who has gone 1-2, with 1 no contest, since he arrived in the UFC last year. Anyone who has watched Medeiros during that time, however, understands that his record doesn’t accurately relay what he’s capable of.

In his UFC debut, versus Rustam Khabilov, Medeiros dislocated his thumb shortly into the bout and the fight was stopped. Medeiros went on to stop Yves Edwards several months later, but a positive test for marijuana resulted in him having the victory overturned.

The Hawaiian fighter was choked out by long time contender, Jim Miller in his next outing, but Medeiros rebounded in August by tapping out Damon Jackson.

“I think people overlook him a lot,” Proctor said in agreement, while appearing on a recent episode of Full Contact Fighter Radio. “If you just look at the numbers, the numbers aren’t good, but he’s fighting great guys. All the guys in the UFC are great, but he’s fighting top ten guys, and he might be losing, he had a no contest, but he’s one of those guys, a Hawaiian guy, who just likes to scrap.”

“He’s always down to fight and those are the fights that I like to be in,” Proctor furthered. “Guys that aren’t going to give up, and they’re going to push me to be the best that I can be.”

While Proctor believes Medeiros may be underrated, the Massachusetts’ fighter is confident in his ability to win the fight, wherever it goes.

“To be honest, I think every area of the fight is going to go my way,” the Joe Lauzon trained fighter argued. “He’s got that long, rangy, awkward boxing style but you know,  I’m going to be in his face, I’m going to be pushing the pace and working my combinations, just like I did in my last few fights.”

The 29 year-old has had a notable, comeback campaign so far, as after missing all of 2013 due to injury, Proctor has gone on to defeat Cristiano Marcello and Justin Salas in 2014.

“I feel like every fight I’m getting better, and I keep repeating myself, but 2014, I feel like it’s my year,” the TUF 15 vet furthered. “I’m breaking out too. I’m a new fighter, working on new things, getting more confident every time I step in the cage, and just getting better, and better from here. I’m just looking for a good, solid fight, and it’s going to be a good show.”

If Proctor can get by Medeiros he will extend his overall UFC record to 4-1. The only man to defeat him thus far in the Octagon, is Ramsey Nijem, who handed Proctor a decision loss prior to his layoff in 2013.

“I took that year off, I had the shoulder surgery and stuff, and I think that was a big thing as to why I wasn’t performing at my best,” Proctor furthered. “Everyone is always tendering injuries, but the shoulder just kept popping out, and it was really hindering my training, but I kept wanting to fight…I finally got the whole problem solved and I feel great.”

The TUF 20 Finale will be hosted by the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.