Aggression Unchained

When Todd Duffee was in grade school, his mother, fearful that his aggressive tendencies might lead him into a life of trouble, enrolled him in tap dancing classes. The legacy of Fred Astaire was never in jeopardy.

“While my friends were doing karate, I was tap dancing,” Duffee says. “I was too aggressive, according to her. I was in it long enough to rattle off five or six performances. I probably did it for a few years. My memory’s not that good, but I didn’t like it at all.”

It appears her efforts failed miserably, much to Duffee’s benefit. Having emerged as one of the top heavyweight prospects in mixed martial arts, he will collide with Pride Fighting Championships veteran Mike Russow in a featured matchup at UFC 114 “Rampage vs. Evans” on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

At 24, Duffee earns a living inside a cutthroat world that not only accepts aggression but requires it. He made a grand entrance on the big stage in August, as he knocked out Tim Hague in record time -- seven seconds, to be exact -- at UFC 102 in Portland, Ore. Praise soon followed, but Duffee moved quickly to deflect it.

“It’s hard to call that a fight,” he says.

Duffee grew up in a split home in Southern Illinois, the youngest of three boys. Raised on a 25-acre farm in a town of less than 400 people, his was far from the typical upbringing. He attended private school the “first five or six years” and became a target of his peers because of his size. A multi-sport athlete in high school, Duffee made it work for him.

“I was always the big kid,” he says. “In sixth grade, I was as big as most of the eighth graders. When I was a freshman, I was as big as most of the seniors. It was always an advantage for me, but it bothered a lot of other people.”

Duffee picked up boxing at 16 and began his formal MMA training three years later. He wiped out his first professional opponent in just 15 seconds at an International Sport Combat Federation show in Kennesaw, Ga., a stone’s throw from Atlanta. His next four foes did not fare much better, as three of them went down to strikes in the first round. Only UFC veteran Assuerio Silva survived until the second. Duffee’s hulking physique, raw power, athleticism and efficiency caught the eyes of those who pull the strings at the UFC. They booked him against Hague at UFC 102, and, in a matter of seconds, he made them look like they had struck gold.

A back injury curbed some of his considerable momentum, forced him to withdraw from a UFC 107 matchup with former heavyweight title contender Paul Buentello in December and led to a frustrating period of inactivity. Now comes his chance to climb back into the Octagon.

“I don’t think an injury like that is ever 100 percent, but I’m healthy,” Duffee says. “I made a lot of mistakes with my back because I wanted to keep the wheels rolling.”

The 6-foot-3, 251-pound heavyweight thinks too much has been made of his debut in the UFC, which saw him level Hague with a straight left hand and finish him on the ground. He expects a stern test from Russow, a well-traveled 33-year-old who has won eight straight bouts since his submission loss to Sergei Kharitonov at Pride 33 in February 2007.

“Russow’s highly underrated,” Duffee says. “Mike’s not going to go away in seven seconds. He’s going to be there, right in my s--t the whole time.”

An accomplished amateur wrestler who has but one defeat on his resume, Russow made his promotional debut at UFC 102, as well. He outpointed Justin McCully by unanimous decision, and though it lacked the wow factor in Duffee’s finish, the Chicago police officer’s one-sided victory effectively announced his arrival to the rest of the heavyweight division. Duffee took notice.

“I have to keep my composure,” Duffee says. “Composure is the most important thing. I’m notorious for making big mistakes. I’ve made silly mistakes in the past and given up position. I have to remember to breathe. That’s a deadly mistake a lot of guys make when they fight a strong grappler. They forget to breathe.”

Once based at American Top Team, Duffee now trains out of several camps in Las Vegas and has put in the hours with Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts, Striking Unlimited and the Wand Fight Team. He refuses to buy into the hype that surrounds him, though many have pegged him as a future title contender.

“I’m at the bottom,” Duffee says. “I know where I’m at. I don’t know where the UFC sees me, and I don’t really care as much about that.”

Confidence in his ability, however, remains strong.

“There’s not a guy out there that I don’t think I can beat,” he says. “I think I’d give any heavyweight, from top to bottom, a hell of a fight.”