Kendall Grove vs. Jorge Rivera at UFC 80 on Jan. 19

Kendall Grove will fight Jorge Rivera at UFC 80: Rapid Fire in England. (MMAweekly.com Photo)

UFC fighter Kendall Grove (8-4-0) says he's happy with his opponent for UFC 80: Rapid Fire on Jan. 19 in Newcastle, England.

After winning three fights in the octagon, Grove lost his last match to Canadian Patrick Cote (11-4-0) in August. Saturday, he'll face Jorge Rivera (14-6-0) a muay thai kickboxing specialist who is coming off one of the fastest losses in UFC history; a 14-second KO at the hands of Terry Martin (16-3-0).

"I think I match up good," he tells cagepotato.com. "We’re both tough, tough fighters. We both fight ’til the bitter end. I think it’s going to come down to conditioning. I know that towards the end of the second or third rounds, he starts to slow down a little, and kinda’ paces himself. I think I’m just going to put it on him. I’ll dictate the pace of the fight. Rivera’s a seasoned vet, and I think he’s a good opponent, regardless of his losses. Everybody loses. That’s why I love this sport, MMA and the UFC, because nobody is invincible. Anybody can get taken out, just by one punch. I think he’s going to be a tough opponent and an exciting fight for me."

A -350 favorite in the Bodog Sportsbook, the 6'6" fighter from Hawaii is interested in a variety of subjects besides fighting, like marijuana and how it affects fighting.

"I’ve been smoking weed since I was in the sixth grade," Grove says. "I can openly say that. But I’m also clean when I fight. I cut that shit out. I’m a professional. Don’t get me wrong, my first six fights, I fought high, I fought stoned. But when you get to this level, you have to take responsibility. It’s your job. I stop doing that stuff three months out."

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