“Robin is like a bull, he comes forward and he bangs,” is featherweight title contender Matt 'Matics' Embree's assessment of champion Robin van Roosmalen, who he will meet at GLORY 37 LOS ANGELES next week.
“I think Van Roosmalen is a legend, absolutely. He is definitely one of the best fighters in the world, for the past five to ten years I guess. I have been watching him for years and I think that's where my advantage lies.
“I kind of just came out of nowhere for these guys. But I have been grinding and I've got a different kind of experience too. He's been fighting mostly kickboxing style [opponents], I've been fighting Muay Thai all over the world against different types of style.”
Van Roosmalen (36-6, 20 KO's) captured the featherweight title at GLORY 32 VIRGINIA in fall last year, taking it from defending champion Gabriel Varga. It was Van Roosmalen's first fight since losing the lightweight title and he overwhelmed Varga in impressive fashion.
“To me it looked like Varga just wasn't in there mentally. I just don't think he is used to getting pressured like that. Plus [he made] a big F-up not having his mouthpiece in for the second round, I think that threw the whole fight off. But he still busted up Van Roosmalen [at times],” says Embree.
Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Embree (39-7, 18 KO's) heads into his GLORY 37 LOS ANGELES fight as the underdog by quite a margin, despite having secured his shot by stopping two opponents back-to-back in the Featherweight Contender Tournament at GLORY 33.
“That's fine with me, I don't mind being the underdog. It doesn't matter to me what people think, I know in my heart I am the better fighter and I am going to prove it,” he says.
Dutch fighters dominate the sport, understandable given that the Netherlands is the spiritual home of this fighting style, but Embree notes that Canada has already produced two GLORY champions in the form of Joe Valtellini (former welterweight champion) and Simon Marcus (former middleweight champion).
“In my opinion the level here is just as high. We have world class guys. They have their system [in the Netherlands], we have our own style. If guys are all from the same area all fighting the are way eventually you are going to come up against guys who figure you out and I feel like that's where we are up to right now,” says Embree.
“There's tons of great talent in North America. It's just a question of opportunity. They need to give the right guys the right opportunity.”
Now in the final stages of his training camp, Embree says he feels “as sharp as the sharpest knife in the kitchen” and is ready to go out there at GLORY 37 LOS ANGELES next week and show people what he is all about.
“Keep an eye on me. I am going to be the world's best. I have been working for this my whole my life and I just want you guys to watch and appreciate someone who takes this craft as an art. This is the art of fighting you are going to see.”
GLORY 37 LOS ANGELES takes place Friday, January 20 at The Novo by Microsoft, part of the LA Live entertainment complex in downtown Los Angeles, California.
Van Roosmalen and Embree headline the Supefight Series section of the card, which airs live worldwide on UFC Fight Pass. The action then moves to the GLORY 37 numbered card, which airs on ESPN (in the US) and is headlined by middleweight champion Jason 'Psycho' Wilnis defending his title against Israel Adesanya of New Zealand.
