Michael McDonald doesn’t care about the title, only fighting for his family

This weekend, UFC Bantamweight Michael McDonald will step into the Octagon with a chance to become the youngest-ever UFC titleholder. While that may seem like quite the chance at fame for most, McDonald is taking the hype in stride. He’s a rare breed of calm, something that benefits him every time he steps into the cage. “Mayday” recently sat down with MMA Junkie to discuss his rarely seen point of view on fighting:

“I’ll say that, for me, the fight is for my job, same as any other fight. It’s how I make my living and how I can hopefully provide a future for my family. I don’t care about a title. I don’t care who it is or where it is, none of that. That doesn’t concern me. All that concerns me is fighting and making money.”

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While many fighters are looking to stake claim to as much of the fame and fortune that being a successful fighter can bring, McDonald only wants the fight and the support it can bring his family. He seems to be quite the departure from the stereotypical MMA brawler. Religion plays a big part in his life, so that may be a reason why he walks this more simplified path. This walk of life is what McDonald beliveves to be his destiny:

“I really believe that God wanted me to do this work so I could shine a light where very few of them are. I never wanted to be here when I was growing up. It’s something I was almost forced into, and I fell in love with it in the process. By the time I got old enough to realize what I was doing, it was kind of like wow, this is what I’m good at, and this is what God has placed in front of me, so this is what I’m going to do.”

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With a very different viewpoint on fighting in place, McDonald will take to the cage and face off against Renan Barao, the Interim titleholder who is riding an insane win streak. Both fighters are capable of ending the fight at anytime, something that is rare for the lower weight classes of the UFC. While McDonald may not care about titles or prestige, he may suddenly have a lot of it heaped upon his shoulders with a win on Saturday night.

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