Ryan Thomas ~ Redemption Waits

As soon as the referee Dave Smith waved off the bout between Ryan Thomas and Ben Askren, calling a technical submission in favor of Askren, Ryan "The Tank Engine" Thomas has been looking for an opportunity. The Bellator Fighting Championships season two welterweight tournament challenger began campaigning for a rematch almost immediately following the controversial loss.

Monday, on the heels of the misfortune of another fighter, Thomas is back in the tournament and could potentially get his rematch. MMA Spot’s Thomas Caldwell caught up with Ryan Thomas, just hours before he weighs in for the second time in a week for a chance at redemption against a new opponent, Jacob "Tick-Tock" McClintock. Ryan discusses the circumstances around the loss to Askren, finding out how he was back in the tournament, his feelings toward Bellator, and more.

Caldwell: Have your feelings about Askren changed any? Right after the fight was called, you both seemed to be pretty cordial to each other, but then when at the post fight press conference, things seemed to change a bit. He basically said you need to "man up and accept your loss," that you were out, that you were done. How do you feel about that?

Thomas: Yea, he's just saying that because he doesn't want the win taken off of his record. He knows that I didn't go limp. He knows that I was continuing to fight. He could feel me digging my thump under his hand, where they were locked, and he could feel me bracing as hard as I could with the other hand the whole time he had me. He knows I had a chance and he knows I didn't go limp. He told me that in the cage. He kept saying, "I know, I know," and I thought to myself, "This guy is pretty cool, he's not such a bad guy." Then at the post conference, like you said, he was telling me that I needed accept defeat and all, that he beat me. I lost a little respect for him there. Our paths will cross here in the future, and I will take my frustrations out on his face.

Caldwell: Lets talk about Dave Smith for a second. I assume that he will not be officiating any of your fights any time soon?

Thomas: If I fight again, and that guy is even in the same building I will let it be known that I don't want him reffing my fight. I don't even want to look at that guy right now, after what he did to me.

Full Interview

It sucks that Wallhead got pulled from the tournament because of the volcano but Thomas definitely deserved another shot after that disaster of a stoppage