Interview: Roland Delorme Talks Grant, Fight Pass, Sponsorship, and Fighting on Foreign Turf

Kingdom MMA Talks to Roland Delorme Ahead of UFC Fight Night 37
By Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Owner of one of the best ground games in the 135lb division, Roland Delorme is looking to make a statement this weekend when he meets the UK's Davey Grant at London's O2 Arena on the Fight Pass prelims of UFC Fight Night 37.

A contestant of TUF 14, Delorme started his career in the UFC 2-0 before losing by KO to Francisco Rivera however the result was later over turned due to Rivera testing positive for a banned substance.

Following the bout with Rivera, Delorme bounced back with a decision victory over Edwin Figueroa in his home town of Winnipeg, before losing a split decision to Alex Caceres in his most recent outing at UFC 165 in September.

With fight week in full swing we caught up with Delorme to discuss his fight with Davey Grant, fighting on Fight Pass, sponsorship, and fighting on Foreign Turf.

Houten: Your fight with Davey Grant will mark the first time fighting outside of North America, how excited are you to be fighting in London and how prepared are you for the boos from the 15,000 British fans in attendance?
Delorme: I'm extremely excited about fighting in London, it's a dream come true for me to fight abroad and I've always wanted to come to London so I'm killing two birds with one stone. I love when people hate me it just makes me wanna do better so I just brush it off and perform.

Have you put any thought in to cutting weigh in this Country? How do you think it will differ to cutting back home, and have / will you begin cutting earlier to prepare yourself?
Yeah cutting weight overseas is something I took into account and I'm lighter then usual to make it easier on my body considering travel and that I won't have the usual luxuries that I do at home.

Davey Grant is coming off a loss to Chris Holdsworth where he was outclassed on the ground, do you think Holdsworth has set the blueprint for you to beat Grant?
Obviously Grant's striking is his strong point but he's won 7 of 8 fights by submission so he's no fool on the ground but I definitely think that when I put him on his back he's gonna flop around like a fish to stand back up so I just gotta take him to deep water and drown him. As far as Holdsworth setting the blueprint I think that Grant has learned a lot from that and won't make the same mistakes so I gotta use a slightly different blueprint to get the same result.

How has you camp gone for this fight? Who have been working with in the build up to the fight?
My camps been great I have no issues and feel amazing. I have been at my home gym in Winnipeg getting prepared for this fight with the usual suspects of Curtis Brigham, Louis Fisette, Brad Katona and many other guys putting a hurt on me everyday.

Your fighting a dangerous striker in Grant, has to focus in this camp main been your stand up?
My focus is always my stand up, if I use it or not. If your not getting better your getting worse.

How willing are you to stand and trade with Grant in this fight? 
I've stood with better strikers when I was at my worst and unless we start on the ground then I don't really have much of a choice do I - Ha Ha Ha

This fight will mark you debut fighting on UFC Fight Pass, what do you think of the online network, and do you mind fighting on it?
I haven't seen Fight Pass yet and I'll fight anywhere the UFC pays me to. I don't care where and what I fight on, I get paid to lay a beating and business is good.

Has the fact your fighting on Fight Pass and outside of North America affected your ability to attracted sponsors for this fight?
Yes it has affected my sponsorship as in I'm not making as much as I usually do, but that just means I gotta fight better to make more money and I won't let myself down.
 
Who would you say competed on the tougher season of The Ultimate Fighter? 
My season was clearly tougher being the first bantamweight season ever and since my season everyone that has made it to the UFC has been doing great. Two guys are ranked in the top ten in the world and one fought for the title, Caraway is ranked just outside the top ten but I think he should be in it and all the other guys have winning records in the UFC so what do you think.

Finally how do you see yourself winning on Saturday?
I see myself just out working him pushing the pace and breaking him in the later rounds, he's never seen deep water and I'm a shark looking for a meal.