Danny Roberts believes overcoming mental health issues which date back to his childhood can help light a fire under his UFC career.
Roberts looks to extend his unbeaten run to three fights at UFC 274 on Saturday night against Francisco Trinaldo. It marks the Croydon native's second fight in just three years, after a string of cancelled bouts during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 34-year-old realised he needed to tackle his issues after entering several of his past fights with a negative mindset. Now having the answers to issues that date back to his childhood, Roberts feels in a zen-like state going into his fight against Trinaldo.
"From my childhood to now, as a big man and understanding what I've developed into, I've had my fair share of mental and physical battles., depression at the most. It will affect your career in some way," he told Mirror Fighting .
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"It's been the personal things in my life that have come into my fighting career which has left me disgruntled and unbalanced. So I've projected my thoughts into that fight. Overcoming my battles in my personal life is made me a better athlete. I've had mishaps and bad decisions, but I've managed to refine myself and get myself in a very spiritually aligned place mentally and physically. I feel calm, settled and very peaceful and I think that will help produce the best me rather than being agitated.
After a long spell of inactivity, Roberts is hoping to exit his fight with Trinaldo unscathed and compete at the UFC London event in July. The Brit wants to fight at least three times in 2022 and is confident that he can establish himself as a top welterweight with his newly improved mindset.
"My plan is to get in at least three fights this year, to come out this one unscathed then roll on to UFC London. I've already put in a tag for that because it's my hometown and it's very rare we get to fight in front of our friends and family back home. We've had this pandemic which has been a crap time, it's just made everything a bit long and sticky. Apart from that, I want to establish myself, I know I'm one of the best fighters in the world, I just have to show it and be consistent with it."
Watch Danny Roberts take on Francisco Trinaldo at UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje on Saturday May 7, live on BT Sport 1. Coverage starts from 1am, with early prelims on UFC Fight Pass starting at 10:30pm.
