The welterweight kingpin says that he simply didn’t have the first to compete in the historic champion versus champion bout at the event.
“I don’t know why. If it was bad timing or what. I still haven’t figured it out, but I am working on it,” MacDonald said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “I knew during training camp that I wasn’t preparing myself properly. I was just kind of lying to myself like,’ I will just give it my best shot when it happens, make the best of it.’ But it turned out to be the worst performance of my career against my biggest opportunity. It’s a big let down but it was my fault at the end of the day. I only blame myself. I felt fine, I wasn’t nervous or anything. I was very relaxed, maybe too relaxed. I didn’t have any desire to fight hard. I was too busy being comfortable, living a comfortable lifestyle and not pushing myself in my training. I was too relaxed, and in the fight. I didn’t have that fire, it was pretty clear, too.”
MacDonald suffered his first loss under the Bellator MMA banner on that night and the third of his last five bouts as well.
Its back to welterweight now for the 170 pound champion, as MacDonald is taking part in the Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix, facing fellow UFC veteran Jon Fitch in an opening round bout next year.
