“I’m over the moon,” Shore told UFC.com. “No disrespect to the UFC APEX, but I don’t want to be performing in places with no more than a thousand people; I want these big arenas. I don’t care if it is the US or in the UK, but I want arena shows and I want crowds there. That’s what we do it for. We’re entertainers and I guarantee there isn’t a fighter on the roster that would prefer to fight in an empty room to a packed-out arena.”
Shore prides himself on being an exciting fighter, the type of fighter that fans go out of their way to see. He’s finished two of his four UFC victories by submission and is known to put an unrelenting pace on his opponents.
But despite what you see in the Octagon, Shore’s pressure and grappling isn’t his biggest strength; it’s his Fight IQ and ability to utilize it to dictate the fight.
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“I play little tricks and set little traps to get the edge. I like to make a guy feel stuck in the fight and uncomfortable,” Shore said. “It’s great being exciting and being the guy who wins by knockout or might get knocked out, but that doesn’t win you championships. I think my Fight IQ is what separates me from a lot of the up and comers and a lot of guys at the top.”
Fight IQ is an underrated skill and it’s the main foundation for Shore’s confidence. He relies on that, his natural physical ability, and the discipline to stay technical even when the fight is getting gritty.
Shore is expecting a gritty fight from Valiev, the type of drag em’ out battle that brings out the best of both fighters. Knowing that’s what’s in store for him has helped push him in training and mentally during the lead up to the bout.
