Ricky Glenn vows to finish Christos Giagos early at UFC Vegas 71 and prove he deserves “a top-15 guy” next

By Cole Shelton - April 19, 2023

Ricky Glenn is finally healthy again and ready to be active.

Ricky Glenn

Glenn returned in June of 2021 after not fighting since 2018 and knocked out Joaquim Silva in 37 seconds. He then squared off with Grant Dawson that October and fought him to a draw after nearly finishing Dawson in the final round. He was then booked to face Drew Dober in March but just two weeks before the fight he tore a tendon in his groin that has kept him out for over a year.

“It took about six months since the injury and I got injured about two weeks before my bout with Dober,” Glenn said to Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I completely tore a tendon that is attached to my groin in training. I think it was a nagging injury that I didn’t realize was a partially torn tendon and then it snapped in training.”

Once Glenn was healthy, he wasn’t sure who would be next but is excited to face Christos Giagos at UFC Vegas 71. Glenn knows Giagos will bring it and be an aggressive fighter, especially with him losing two in a row.

“For sure, I have a lot of pressure on myself on me after I just lose one fight,” Glenn explained. “They can cut us anytime they want, we not only have to be exciting but not lose multiple fights. I imagine he’s hungry and fighting for his job so I have to be sharp off the bat and him coming out hard.”

Although Ricky Glenn expects Christos Giagos to be aggressive at UFC Vegas 71, the 34-year-old actually thinks that benefits him. Glenn knows he is a great counter striker and believes he can catch Giagos with something big early and get a KO victory.

Yet, if Giagos tries to wrestle and grapple him, Glenn believes he can also finish him on the ground.

“The first thing that goes through my head is bad scenarios like he clips me with an overhand right, takes me down and I have to work off my back and come back from that. But, I don’t plan on that happening,” Glenn said. “I think if he comes at me hard as he has in all of his other fights, I will finish him striking. If he wants to grapple, I’ll finish him on the ground.”

If Glenn does get a stoppage win over Giagos at UFC Vegas 71, he hopes to make a quick turnaround against a top-15 opponent.

“I think it puts me right back up there to fight a top-15 guy. I’m not looking past Christos but a win over him, I’m right back in there fighting top-15 people,” Glenn concluded.

Do you think Ricky Glenn will finish Christos Giagos?


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