If everything goes as planned Saturday, I think there is going to be a big coming out party for Marcus Davis. Watching his progression from the loss to Joe Stevenson on The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 to his recent KO victory over Jess Liaudin at UFC 80 provides a perfect example of the evolution of a mixed martial artist.
If you go back and watch his loss to Joe Stevenson on TUF, you would see a one-dimensional boxer. Stevenson did exactly what any MMA fighter would do when faced with a boxer – took him down, pounded him, and then submitted him (submission due to strikes). I think it’s safe to say that no one was surprised about the outcome, not even Marcus himself. After the loss, Marcus gave the familiar teary-eyed interview and voiced his intention to retire. In his fight with Stevenson, Marcus landed on his shoulder when slammed to the mat and ended up seperating his AC joint and clavicle. This injury stayed with him through his loss to Melvin Guillard at the TUF finale. At this point, all signs seemed to point at his inevitable retirement.
However, Marcus didn’t retire. While on TUF, Marcus forged a friendship with Jorge Gurgel and ended up going out to train with him in Ohio. Shortly after this, Marcus also teamed up with Mark DellaGrotte and Team Sitydotong. And so began the evolution of Marcus Davis from a one-dimensaional boxer into the well-rounded mixed martial artist I expect us to see Saturday night against Mike Swick.
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