Resilient Josh Neer welcomes slugfest at UFC on FX 1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In earlier octagon times, Josh Neer got caught up in the hype of thinking his opponents would welcome a slugfest. It was the UFC, after all, and everyone was tough. Who wouldn't want to test himself?

With calluses worn onto his back, he found out differently.

On Friday, Neer (32-10-1 MMA, 5-6 UFC) embarks on the second fight of his fourth stint in the UFC, and he's fighting one of the better pure strikers in the welterweight division. Why wouldn't Duane "Bang" Ludwig (22-11 MMA, 4-2 UFC) want to go toe-to-toe?

Not so fast.

"I'm going in just trying to win however," Neer told mmajunkie. "I'm willing to stand up with him as long as he doesn't run from me. If he's going to hit and run from me, I'm going to take him down. If he wants to stand up and trade, I'm more than willing to trade."

You might not blame Ludwig for wanting to hit and run. The last guy to trade with Neer, Keith Wisniewski, ended up a bloody, cut-up mess after being hit with a boatload of elbows. By the end of the second round, it didn't matter if Wisniewski ran. There was too much blood, and the cageside doctor called off the fight and awarded Neer the win.

That was three months ago. Not much has changed in Neer's arsenal other than he's focused more on his wrestling in camp. It's almost as if he's moving preemptively to avoid past roadblocks. Nobody doubted his toughness before. But time and time again, fighters with better grappling pedigrees sent him home with a loss. Hence, the revolving door of his UFC career.

Now, he's fighting in the co-headliner of UFC on FX 1, which takes place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The main card airs live on FX and the prelims on FUEL TV. This is an opportunity to make a big splash and make this fourth stint a longer one.

But forgive him if he's not thinking about interim titles and the division's current title picture.

"A win's just going to move me up the ladder a little bit," he said. "I'm not at the bottom of the division right now, so I'm just trying the win this fight."

Neer enjoys a five-fight win streak that includes his win over Wisniewski, which took place at UFC on Versus 6 in October. More importantly, though, he's getting paid.

"Being on the main card is a lot more money," he said. "You're going to make a lot more from sponsors. I didn't hardly make anything for sponsors last time, and I'm making a lot more now. Being televised is going to help out a lot."

Ludwig was recently awarded the unofficial record for the fastest knockout in UFC history at six seconds, though the Nevada State Athletic Commission officially records the time of the 2006 win at 11 seconds. He, too, has bounced in and out of the industry-leading promotion and is widely regarded as a tough fighter with a limited ground game.

They're both motivated by the response of the crowd and the prospect of a tough fight. But Neer has been welcomed back to the octagon more than Ludwig.

"I think the fans want to see me back, so that helps out," he said. "A lot of guys just give up after they're out of the UFC; I don't think those guys are real fighters."

Neer will fight anywhere, so if he winds up on his back, so be it. He claims to be a different guy this time. Not only more cautious, but more consistent.

"I think the biggest thing in the UFC is I just haven't been consistent," Neer said. "I've beaten good guys, but I've lost to guys I probably shouldn't have lost to. I want to get in here, get a good win streak going, and be more consistent."