Nate Marquardt (above left) will toe the line with Dan Miller at UFC 128. | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
On July 7, 2007, Nate Marquardt failed in his bid to unseat Anderson Silva as UFC middleweight champion, succumbing to strikes 4:50 into the first round of their encounter at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif. In the nearly four years that have elapsed since, he has yet to secure the rematch he so openly desires, his ascent interrupted by untimely defeats to Chael Sonnen and Yushin Okami.
He will lock horns with one-time International Fight League champion Dan Miller -- a late replacement for Yoshihiro Akiyama -- in a middleweight duel at UFC 128 “Shogun vs. Jones” on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Stakes remain high for the respected 31-year-old father of two, as he doggedly pursues another crack at the 185-pound title.
In this exclusive interview with Sherdog.com, Marquardt weighs the importance of his upcoming matchup with Miller, breaks down a potential super fight between Silva and Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts teammate Georges St. Pierre and discusses the possibility of facing St. Pierre for the title if he were to dethrone “The Spider.”
Sherdog.com: How important is this fight with Miller in terms of the trajectory of your career?
Marquardt: I believe the old saying that every fight is the most important in your career. I don’t have a lot of worries about my career and how people perceive one fight to be. I guess if I had to put it into perspective, this one is key to getting me back up to the middleweight title. You can’t get a title shot by losing.
Sherdog.com: Were you disappointed in your last performance against Okami at UFC 122 and what, if anything, would you have liked to have done differently?
Marquardt: I felt I won that fight, actually. I could have pushed the pace in the last round, but I landed more power shots on him than he did on me. I think he won the judges over by throwing more strikes
Dan Miller file photo/D. Mandel
Miller is a late replacement.
Marquardt: Not much to be honest. I’ll be able to keep most of the same game plan since they are somewhat similar fighters.
Sherdog.com: How does Miller compare to Akiyama, in terms of what you will be seeing in the cage?
Marquardt: He’s better on the ground and a little taller.
Sherdog.com: How would you describe Miller as a fighter?
Marquardt: Tough.
Sherdog.com: There is some uncertainty with the middleweight division right now, with all the talk of a potential super fight between Silva and St. Pierre. If you never get another shot at Silva, how disappointed will you be?
Marquardt: I would be disappointed, but at the same time, people don’t base your career off of one fighter, at least I hope not. My goal is to become champion, not necessarily beat one guy, so I just want a shot at
that belt no matter who is wearing it.
Sherdog.com: How do you think a fight between St. Pierre and Silva would play out?
Marquardt: GSP has got the style to beat him. He’s got the takedowns, the ground-and-pound, the submission defense, the cardio, all of it. He’s fast enough and skilled enough that he could do damage on the feet, as well. Especially if that fight was at a catchweight, I would take GSP.
Sherdog.com: Let us say for discussion’s sake that GSP beats Silva and wins the title. Would you be willing to fight him for the belt?
Marquardt: No. We discussed this, and it’s one of those things where we wouldn’t be where we are now if it wasn’t for the other one. We’re friends; we’re teammates. I would not fight him.
Sherdog.com: You became a father for a second time in May. How has that responsibility impacted you as a fighter?
Marquardt: I wouldn’t say it has as a fighter. In the beginning, it was harder, but now that we’re in a groove and we know how a day is going to be, it’s easier. I really enjoy being around my family. It’s how I recover. I have a very supportive wife who takes care of the kids and is an excellent mother. She does the best for them, and I trust her completely.
Sherdog.com: If your career ended today, would you be satisfied with it?
Marquardt: Hard to say. I’m not satisfied now, so if it ended today, then I guess not. I’ve done a lot, and if I was to step back and look at it … I’ve had some impressive wins, but I haven’t fulfilled my full potential, so there are certainly things I still want to accomplish.
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