Doug Coltrane will test skills against Maki Pitolo at BKFC Honolulu on April 11th. Coltrane is returning to the ring after a lengthy hiatus and when asked what the sentiment is returning here, considering the time in between BKFC fights, Coltrane said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Last year, I had an opportunity to fight in January. It was my fault. I couldn’t take the opportunity and I had some personal things going on. But since then, man, I’ve gotten things back in order with my life. I’ve been training my a** off. I’ve been consistently in the gym. When I got the phone call, I was ready. I can fight right now, man. I’m ready to fight right now.”
Now being in a more optimal state to get out there and throw down while being in this headlining fight in a newer market for the promotion, it seems things all kind of fell into place for Coltrane nicely. Responding to that characterization of things and the current context of his combative career, Coltrane stated [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Oh, man. Yeah, it fell into place. The fight that I accepted originally was in Denver and it was against a top five guy. I said yes. I was ready to go. Yeah, for some reason it didn’t go. It didn’t go on the other end. I said yes. I was ready. From what I was told, they accepted, too. Then a week or two later, it came back that that wasn’t going to be it. They connected me with the promoters of the Hawaii card. Yeah, I had no idea it was going to be the main event.”
“When they threw me the name, I really didn’t even know who the guy was. I mean, obviously, I know who he is now. But it didn’t; like I told you before, this story and how it all fell into place. Like you said, it makes everything very interesting, man. This fight really has a fire story behind it, man. BKFC really needs to do like a leadup to the fight if you ask me, man.”
“You got the BKFC vet which is me and then you got the UFC vet. I’m coming off a layoff, he’s coming off a layoff, I’m coming off of a couple losses, he’s coming off of a couple losses. Yeah, like everything fell into place perfect and this fight, this story, like this is a really good main event, man. Whoever made the match, shout out to Nate Shook and all the matchmakers, man, for putting this fight together, man. Cuz it’s a good one.”
Doug Coltrane is “looking to make a name off of” maki pitolo at BKFC Honolulu
Before this bout agreement was signed, Doug Coltrane mentioned that he didn’t necessarily know as much about Maki Pitolo. But in terms of how that has shifted since this fight was locked in and what his current awareness of the partisan favorite fighter is leading into this Pitolo contest, Coltrane quipped [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Well, I mean obviously he’s a veteran. He’s an MMA veteran. He’s had his moment in the UFC and I think that they’re trying to get another run in BKFC. I think that it’s a good matchup as far as being [that] he’s got a lot of experience and being in a big show and all that. He’s crossing over to my house.”
“The way I feel about it is I get to represent BKFC on this and I get to welcome him to the BKFC. Obviously with the name, me fighting for a title, and me being number two in the world at one time, like this is a good story for him. Good if he was able to to come out here and beat me, it would set him up properly. Making his BKFC debut and being that he’s a UFC [vet]. You know how they do with the UFC guys because they already got names and stuff.”
“So, like sometimes it don’t take them long to climb the ladder because they’ve already been around and had a name. So, he’s looking to make a name off of my name. I’m looking to make a name off of him and let everybody know that them UFC guys, this is a different world over here, man. This ain’t UFC. This ain’t MMA. This ain’t boxing.”
“Yeah, I can’t wait, man. I’m excited to show everybody that UFC is just a business. When I whoop, buddy, on April 11, everybody gonna see that. You know what I’m saying? Everybody gonna see that it’s just a business. This a different sport.”