ELMONT, N.Y. – Not long after his win at UFC on ABC 3 on Saturday, Matt Schnell still wasn’t too sure what went down.
And frankly, a lot of fans watching probably weren’t sure just what they were witnessing, either. But it turned out to be one of those epic comebacks that likely will go down in UFC history – and almost certainly will be talked about in five months when the best-of-the-year lists are being compiled.
Schnell (16-7 MMA, 6-5 UFC) pulled off an insane rally to submit Su Mudaerji (16-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) in the second round of their flyweight bout on the main card in Elmont, N.Y. But to get the win, which got him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus, he had to go through the proverbial hell of an onslaught of punishment from Mudaerji’s relentless elbow attacks.
“I’m still not sure – I thought I won the first round,” Schnell told MMA Junkie at the post-event news conference. “So when people are saying ‘craziest comeback ever,’ I’m like ‘I won the first round. What are you talking about?’ But I guess I was stepping in potholes out there and took some clean elbows and took some clean punches. He had me hurt. He had me close to out of there. But your boy’s a dog. I’d rather not take punishment.
“I felt the tides turn. He was having some success, and I was just trying to clear the cobwebs a lot of the second round.”
Schnell pulled out the win after a two-fight skid, and he said there were some doubts in his mind, as a fighter, during the hard times.
“It means everything,” Schnell said. “I’m trying to get out here and win fights, and sometimes, when things aren’t going your way, you start feeling like you don’t have it anymore or something like that. But my wife, my team, the people around me – we know we’re just one performance away from being back on top, and look at us: Here we go. We’ve got everyone’s attention now.
Check out Schnell’s full post-fight interview in the video above.