Tony Gravely’s initial reaction to getting submitted in his UFC debut was about what you would expect from someone who earns his living in a competitive arena: a mix of frustration, disappointment, and motivation that left him seeking answers to questions he didn’t know he needed to be asking prior to stepping into the Octagon against Brett Johns at the end of January.
But now, 10 months later, as he readies to step into the UFC cage for a second time against Geraldo de Freitas this weekend in Las Vegas, the 29-year-old bantamweight is able to recognize the positive moments he experienced in his debut and the opportunity for growth that landing on the wrong side of the results against “The Pikey” provided him.