TJ Grant Looking To Return In Halifax, Wants Donald Cerrone Or Nate Diaz

Streaking UFC lightweight TJ Grant has been inactive since knocking out Gray Maynard back at UFC 160 in May 2013. A serious concussion sustained in training has seen the Nova Scotian inactive for well over a year, and he leaves on hold a five fight winning spree for the UFC.

Speaking with FOX Sports, Grant says he is just about back to full fitness, and hopes to return on home soil, in Halifax, Nova Scotia:

“Things are pretty good, I’m working out hard, I’ve been pushing myself in the gym, I feel like I’m in great shape. Now it’s just about getting over that last hump and getting cleared, which hopefully I can get done sometime soon. It’s still a little bit unpredictable, I can’t really put a time table on it, but I’m close. I feel pretty good.I’m hoping for Halifax. Halifax is what I’m game planning for, but I haven’t talked to Joe Silva yet. When I’m ready to go, I’ll give him a call and hopefully he’ll be able to give me a spot along the way.”

UFC Fight Night 54 will go down on October 4 at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax, Canada, and is headlined by the welterweight clash between Rory MacDonald and Tarec Saffiedine. Of course a return in October would be great for TJ, but that will all depend on medical clearance. Should he get the OK, Grant has a few names in mind for his comeback fight:

“””I would personally like to fight Nate Diaz or Donald Cerrone,” Grant said.  “I think they would be exciting fights. I like the way they come forward and they fight. It’s a competition, but it’s a fight first, and that’s what I want. But really I don’t care.  It’s all about timing and some guys have fights, it’s nothing personal. I just go out there and do my job.That would be ideal. I’m not picky. I’d bet Cerrone will probably have a fight booked in the next two days. Anybody in the top 10, it doesn’t matter.”

Nate Diaz has been absent from MMA since he also knocked out Gray Maynard, in the Ultimate Fighter 18 finale show last December. A return has looked unlikely for Diaz, given his contract disputes with the promotion, but older brother Nick quickly changed his tune when offered Anderson Silva, so never say never.

A more likely fight for Grant is a tilt against Donald Cerrone; ‘The Cowboy’ is on a four-fight/four-finish streak at 155 pounds right now, and was freed up only hours after being booked to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov. ‘The Eagle’ suffered a blown knee in training, and we all know Cerrone doesn’t like to turn down fights.

‘Cowboy’ vs. Grant in Halifax, what do you think of that fight?

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