Billy Christianson: Nick Compton Has to Stay Awake to Win, Still Wants Juusola

Minnesota mixed martial arts is heating up in 2012 following a successful event co-promoted by some of the top promotions in the Twin Cities just a few weeks ago. Next on the schedule is Driller Promotions’ return to the Hyatt in Minneapolis on May 18 for Downtown Showdown V.

The event will feature two of the best 155-pound fighters in the state as Billy Christianson battles Nick Compton in what is sure to be a highly entertaining bout.

As good as this fight should be, however, it wasn’t actually the originally scheduled main event. Instead, Christianson, MNMMANEWS’s No. 8 ranked lightweight from the state, was previously set to fight No. 4 ranked lightweight Zach “Juice” Juusola. Unfortunately, a broken orbital bone on Juusola put a stop to that highly anticipated bout before it could get started.

“I was just kind of bummed out. I really wanted to fight Juice,” Christianson told Bleacher Report MMA. “I felt like he was a really good opponent for me. He was the guy that I wanted to take me to the next level. He has a great record, he’s higher than me on the rankings.”

After quitting his job at the railroad to go full-time in the sport, “The Kidd” has set his eyes on moving up the rankings in 2012. A win over Juusola would have helped catapult him closer to where he wants to be. While Compton doesn’t have the ranking that Juusola does, Christianson is not taking him lightly and continues to prepare for this new fight, almost as if he were still going against Juusola.

“We really only got two weeks to prepare for Compton, and that’s about the time that I really start cutting weight, taking it easy and just staying in shape,” he said. “I’ve watched some film, but we really didn’t change anything up from Juice because, surprisingly enough, [Compton] has kind of got a similar style as Juice.

“We trained for Juice and he’s a tough opponent. We trained hard for him, I really bumped up my camp. I’m confident that the same gameplan will work out against Nick.”

The gameplan, at this point, should be fairly obvious to those who have seen “The Kidd” fight.

In his six professional MMA victories, only one of Christianson’s opponents even made out of the first round without being knocked out or tapping out due to punches. That opponent was then quickly disposed of with a violent knockout just 25 seconds into Round 2.

His opponent, Compton, might be a different story, however. Though he has two professional losses, neither were by knockout. In fact, both came in decisions and one was a razor-thin split decision loss to another top-10 Minnesota lightweight, Damion Hill, back in January of this year.

“I’m definitely ready to go three, five-minute rounds if it comes to that,” Christianson said. “I train for well over three, five’s, so that should be easy. I’m confident that I could take him in a decision, but he’s got to stay awake that long to get that far.”

Though taking the fight with Compton was a step down as far as rankings are concerned, Christianson never considered dropping off the card and not fighting after Juusola got hurt.

“I’ve been itching to get in the cage. I haven’t been as excited for a fight as I was for Zach [Juusola]. I was really amped up for that one and when he got hurt, I really just wanted an opponent,” Christianson said.

“I didn’t want to fight a can, a nobody. It’s tough to find a good opponent on short notice and I definitely respect Nick for stepping up and taking this. In my eyes, Compton is a good opponent, especially on short-notice.”

While he is not overlooking his opponent for Friday night’s fight, Christianson is still very much looking to settle some unfinished business with his original opponent, Zach Juusola.

“I’m coming for Juice,” he said. “He was talking a little bit of trash about me on Facebook, saying how he’s going to knock me out... Saying how it was going to be an easy fight for him. So we’re going to give him that opportunity.”

According to Juusola’s Facebook, he expects to be back to training in approximately six weeks. That should give him plenty of time to prepare for the fight if the two lightweights meet in September, when Christianson is hoping to fight next.

For now, though, Christianson will be focused on staying in the win column against a tough opponent in Compton. If he can do that, then we just might see the developing grudge match between “The Kidd” and “Juice” later in 2012.

For tickets to Friday’s fight card, please visit the online ticket booth at SterlingMN.com or call 612-281-6300. Doors open at 7:00pm and fights will begin at 7:30pm.

For more MMA news, fighter interviews and opinions, follow Nick Caron: @NicholasCaron.