Exclusive: Joe Stevenson Says Dominick Reyes’ Progress Is “Flabbergasting”
Joe Stevenson says Dominick Reyes is always improving and ready to rise to the occasion.
At UFC 218, UFC Light Heavyweight Dominick Reyes will be competing in his second UFC bout, and first with a full fight camp. His coach Joe Stevenson spoke with Fightful's James Lynch in an interview about Reyes' fight against Jeremy Kimball, where Stevenson said Reyes' background as a Division I football player gives him an athletic advantage that his opponent underestimates.
"Dominick has looked better than ever. I think his opponent had said 'he hasn't been fighting his whole life.' He said Dominick was doing other things. Dominick was a safety, a very athletic position, very tough to play," said Stevenson. "Bringing that to fighting makes him very dangerous. The fact that every day I see him, he's better than the day before. It's flabbergasting, it's amazing to see that. I can teach Dominick something in the morning and at night practice I can see him hit it against seasoned fighters. It's crazy," he continued.
In a time where the top ten rankings of the Light Heavyweight division are in flux, Stevenson said Reyes needs to focus on his own improvement and seize opportunities like his fight at UFC 218.
"It's a great time for Dominick to rise to the occasion.This is his opponent's third fight in the UFC, he's been fighting his whole life. I think it's a great opportunity for both of them. Dominick has too much for him," said Stevenson.
During the rest of the interview, Stevenson discussed his wife who just competed on The Ultimate Fighter and his friendships he found during his time at The Ultimate Fighter house.
UFC 218 airs December 2nd via pay-per-view. Reyes and Kimball face off on the UFC Fight Pass prelims. Fightful MMA will be providing live coverage and recapping podcast of the entire UFC 218 event.
The rest of the interview and other interviews from UFC 218 can be seen on Fightful's YouTube channel.
