UFC veteran Francisco Trinaldo has admitted that he wasn’t happy with the UFC’s decision to release him following the conclusion of his UFC deal recently, but he’s trying his best to adopt a positive attitude as he looks ahead to what comes next.
“It was good for as long as it lasted,” Trinaldo told mmafighting.com as he assessed his decade-long run in the UFC. “We feel a bit offended, but it’s also good to me because it gives me more energy to train. Not that I was tired of fighting in the UFC, but … it’s good that I’m going to fight for other promotions now, meet other people. MMA is only growing, so let’s leave that feeling in the past.”
Given that Trinaldo is 44-years-old there was some debate as to whether being cut from the UFC might lead to his retirement, but he’s stressed that’s not the case, and given that he’s won five of his last seven fights that’s understandable.
“I know I did good work in the UFC and I know I’ll do an even better job somewhere else,” Trinaldo said. “I feel younger and younger in MMA, training with the kids every day.”
And Trinaldo has admitted that the PFL, who recently made a massive signing by getting Jake Paul to commit to competing in MMA there and also host tournaments with $1 million prizes for the winners, are one promotion that he’s seriously considering now, alongside the likes of Bellator and ONE FC.
“We think about that [PFL] tournament, four fights a year, but when I fight, I do it for love. It’s good that I get paid to fight and put on that show, so that’s also a good option to think about the future. Not every promotion pays a million. We’re fighting for a long time, so that’s a good promotion to consider.”
However, Trinaldo is also now looking to pass on the wisdom and knowledge that he’s acquired over the years onto the next generation of up-and-coming talent, and that’ll extend beyond purely just techniques and strategies to win fights.
“You know why I was in the UFC for so long? I was there for so long because I never cared about what others said,” Trinaldo said. “People talk only, they talk nicely or badly, and I always kept working and doing good. It’s what I tell the kids that will replace me: Be yourself. If you’re an a**hole, be an a**hole, don’t try to be nice. Be yourself, don’t change masks. That’s what I did my entire career in the UFC, I was always myself.”
