Veterans or Rookies? Krzysztof Soszynski Talks TUF and Making the UFC

The Ultimate Fighter was intended for young fighters to get their first break.

That, however, is not always the case.

Two of the last five winners were well–known names to the MMA fan base. Both Mac Danzig (season six) and Roy Nelson (season 10) appeared on big shows with major promotions prior to appearing on the reality show.

Another experienced fighter recently got his chance with the UFC based off of competing on TUF. Krzysztof Soszynski had 24 fights across the world when he was selected for the show. Among the people he stepped into action with were UFC veterans Chris Tuchscherer, Matt Horwich, Mike Kyle, Ben Rothwell (twice), Mike Whitehead, and Reese Andy.

While Soszynski was fighting his way up the ladder through smaller shows, many inexperienced combatants were fast–tracking to the UFC through crazy antics on the TUF.

"A little bit of both I guess," Soszynski said when asked if early TUF participants earned their way in or took a shortcut. "You read some interviews of guys who were in the UFC at the time–that had to work so hard to make the UFC—they were feeling that they (season one) really didn’t deserve a shot like this."

Even if the MMA veterans were upset with the preferential treatment TUF alumni received, those same vets cannot argue with the results the participants had. All four winners of the first two seasons either fought for or won a UFC championship. Rashad Evans and Forrest Griffin are former UFC light-heavyweight titlists, while Joe Stevenson and Diego Sanchez were defeated in matches with UFC lightweight kingpin BJ Penn.

Sitting home watching the show, Soszynski could tell the show was a tremendous opportunity.

"I saw all the seasons of the Ultimate Fighter," Soszynski said. "I saw the success people from season one and two have had."

Nevertheless, the man nicknamed "The Polish Experiment" would have to wait eight seasons and over three–and–a–half years to get his opportunity.

"I was really excited," Soszynski said when he got the call for the show. "I put in over six years of hard work into the sport. I had 30 professional fights."

Soszynski did not necessarily make the most of his chance though. After winning his first two fights, he was defeated by eventual runner up Vinny Magalhaes in the semifinals.

With his colorful tattoos, trademark shaved head, and impressive physique, Soszynski was a very memorable character on the show—even if the outcome was not what was expected. Regardless, he is very happy with the decision to appear.

"For me, it was either I make it to the UFC through the Ultimate Fighter or I have two more wins, and I’ll be in the UFC regardless. But guys on the Ultimate Fighter have so much better exposure. People know them a lot better.  They know their stories and backgrounds."

Since the show, Soszynski has been the busiest of the participants. He has amassed a 3–1 record that includes wins over Shane Primm, Brian Stann, and Andre Gusmao. His lone defeat came against light-heavyweight contender Brandon Vera.

Now, Soszynski has his sights set on someone he sat at home and watched on television during the earliest parts of TUF. Coming up on Saturday, Feb. 20 at UFC 110, Soszynski will step into the octagon with season one star Stephan Bonnar.

"He and Forrest Griffin really helped make the UFC," Soszynski said, referring to the legendary bout between the two at the season one finale. "But he is a little desperate."

Bonnar, the season one runner–up, has not won a fight in over two years. His last win came in Oct–07 against Eric Schafer. Since the victory, Bonnar has had numerous injury problems and lost unanimous decisions to both Jon Jones and Mark Coleman.

"I watched his last seven fights to see what he does, what he doesn’t like to do," Soszynski said, when asked how he is preparing for the matchup. "He’s very aggressive with his striking just like myself. He’s had 10 fights in the UFC, and he hasn’t been finished.

"He is a tough, durable. I think it’s going to be an absolute battle with two guys coming straight ahead to see who can finish the fight first. If I hurt him, I’m going to take him to the ground to try and finish him."

Should the fight go to the mat, Soszynski knows exactly which hold he will be looking for. Of his four UFC wins, three have come by way of a kimura.

"It’s something I’ve worked on for six years," Soszynski said. "I’ve tried to master it from all angles. I’m always looking for it.  If I get a hold of your arm, the chances of escaping are pretty slim."

What makes his mastery of the hold even more surprising is where he learned it.

"Bad News Allen (also known as Bad News Brown) showed me the kimura," Soszynski said about his early training in the sport. "It’s kind of weird–a professional wrestler taught me how to fight. He was legitimately tough. He was a bad ass. He was probably the toughest wrestler in WWE."

Soszynski also utilized the kimura in one of his Ultimate Fighter wins. He locked the hold on Kyle Kingsbury en route to a first round submission.

While Tom Lawlor and Eliot Marshall have achieved a small level of success in preliminary fights, the only season eight participants to make their way into high profile bouts are champion Ryan Bader (set to take on Keith Jardine at UFC 110) and Soszynski.

That is a big drop off from the early days of seasons one and two.

"Coming up on the 11th season now, it is slowly coming down," Soszynski said about the reality show’s talent level. "You only get one or two guys in the UFC, and the rest try to make it elsewhere.  Maybe they should kind of slow it down a bit."

Nevertheless, in just a few days, Soszynski will get a chance to showcase his skills against one of the true pioneers of TUF. In what will be a big fight for Soszynski and likely an even a bigger fight for Bonnar, Soszynski believes there is a good chance the fight will end the same way many of his recent ones have.

"It's going to be an absolute war. If it doesn't go all the way to a decision, you're going to see Krzysztof Soszynski winning by TKO In the third."