• UFC 141

Pearson ready to go all Randy Couture on Assuncao

Ross Pearson is looking to become the first man to knock out Junior Assuncao at UFC 141 © Getty Images

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Ross Pearson has warned Junior Assuncao he has never fought anybody of the Briton's calibre, and he revealed he may take a leaf out of Randy Couture's book in order to triumph at UFC 141.

Assuncao is a difficult first opponent for Pearson on his featherweight debut. The Brazilian fights with a laid-back style not dissimilar to Lyoto Machida, opting to stay elusive until he can land his left hand.

In 17 fights he has never been knocked out, and he has not lost in his last seven bouts. Pearson admits he is going to have to be the aggressor, which suits the Brit just fine.

"He's unorthodox, he's rangy, he carries a counter-puncher's style," Pearson told ESPN. "He's awkward, which doesn't worry me but he has the style to make the fight boring. We've worked a gameplan around what he does, we've got a couple of gameplans, and I know what he's going to do - I'm ready for it.

"I'll be dictating where the fight goes, I can't let him find his rhythm. I'll use my pace to take him out of his rhythm. My relentlessness will unsettle him and that's when I'll catch him."

Assuncao allies a tricky stand-up style with a black belt ground game, finishing seven of his 13 wins by submission. Pearson admits he will not be looking to hit the mat with his rival, but he will be more than happy to clinch with him.

"He's never fought Ross Pearson. I'm not scared of going to the ground with him, but I'm not going to grapple the grappler," he said. "There's going to be a lot of punches, a lot of elbows, and he'll find it hard to break me down.

"My Thai boxing is far better than his. I could definitely use my power to put him up against the fence, clinch Randy Couture-style, beat on him and unsettle him. That's one of my many options. But I'm looking to knock him out."

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