Unbeknownst to most, Ben Nguyen had a lot on the line in his last fight.
His bout at UFC Fight Night 101 with Geane Herrera marked the last fight of his current UFC deal. Afterwards, he became a free agent. Nguyen comfortably won the decision, but had he lost, he would have been on a two-fight skid, a position no fighter wants to ever be in, especially following the expiration of a contract. Heading into the Melbourne event, the 28-year-old expected that his career inside the Octagon was at stake.
“I really wanted to make a statement, and I felt like I was fighting to keep my job,” Nguyen told BloodyElbow.