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It’s official—Tom Breese is back and this time it’s the UFC middleweight division who better be ready.



The man from Birmingham, England hasn’t been seen in the UFC Octagon since June last year at UFC 199, but his absence in the spotlight doesn’t mean he’s been taking it easy.



Making improvements

Since suffering the first loss his professional career to Sean Strickland last year, Breese has been making some big changes and he’s confident now that they will make all the difference when he steps back in the Octagon.



“The biggest improvements I’ve been making have been in my grappling and my boxing,” Breese told FloCombat exclusively. “I’ve come back to England and been working with my coach and he’s been getting me some top class pro-boxing sparring so I’ve been getting a lot of technical boxing under my belt.





“Also, a lot of people will know that I’ve been competing a lot in Jiu Jitsu and my grappling has really improved over the last six months. I was competing every weekend near enough so I’ve upped the levels and I’m looking forward to this next fight now. My confidence is high now.”



Moving up to 185lbs

One of the other big changes Breese has made has been the move up from welterweight to middleweight. The Brit explained the reasons why he’d taken that decision and the benefits he believed he’d have fighting at the higher weight class.



“In my last fight, I feel like I neglected my conditioning,” Breese admitted. “I’m not into the fancy strength and condition programs or coaches or what not. I just do basic stuff like running, bodyweight training etc. I’ve been focusing a lot on gymnastic exercises and that and I find that I’m fitter and stronger.



“I think I was always a middleweight to be honest. I think I just continued to fight at welterweight because I’d always fought there and I was continually forcing myself down to the weight class. I’m so excited to be at middle now and mentally I’m not going to be as drained.”



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With his new fighting weight at 185 pounds, Breese believes he will be in much better physical condition on the day of the fight. He even admitted it was a little crazy that a man of his size would think of trying to make 170.



“I’m about 91 kilos right now and I’ll diet down to 88 kilos for the week of the fight,” Breese said. “It will be very easy and I’ll be fresh. I’m big—not many people are 6ft 3’’ [who fought welterweight], I’m big. I watched my fight before and the fight before that and I looked weird. My body looked weird compared to what it usually is. I looked drained and you could see my cheek bones and I just didn’t look healthy.”



Taking on “The Holy War Angel”

If Breese is to make a winning return, he will have to take out Oluwale Bamgbose aka “The Holy War Angel’. The Nigerian American has been involved in some exciting fights so far in the UFC and Breese believes that the two of them should put on another eventful fight come March 18.



“I watched all of his fights and he’s a bit of a wild man,” Breese said. “He’s very unorthodox and he switches stances a lot. He brings something different to the table and he’s an exciting fighter so that’s great. I’m confident and I think I’m levels above him. My fitness will be a big key to this fight. He’s a very powerful and explosive fighter so he will be very dangerous in the first few minutes of the fight.



“It’s going to be a good challenge, but I believe in my striking and I definitely feel that I’ll have a big advantage in grappling—I feel like I have a big advantage in the grappling against anyone.”



A fan of Mick Maynard

The British fighter then went on to praise new matchmaker Mick Maynard who recently took over the match making duties for UFC from Joe Silva. Breese believes that Maynard has done a great job and that the fans are going to start reaping the benefits of the fights he’s planning on putting together this year.



“What I’ve noticed is the new matchmaker, Mick Maynard, I really feel like he’s making exciting fights,” Breese said. “To be honest, once I moved up to middleweight I could see him fighting Oluwale because he’s an entertaining fighter.



“I never asked to fight him, but the UFC gave me this match up and I’m very happy with it.”



2017 a new start

After taking the time to rearrange the pieces to the puzzle in the second half of 2016, Breese has clear goals he’s set himself to achieve this year. As a keen and active member of the grappling community, he made sure to stress that his goals aren’t jut exclusive to MMA.



“I’ve set myself goals in both MMA and Jiu Jitsu,” Breese said. “In MMA I just want to win all my fights, win impressively and keep stepping up the ladder. By the end of the year I want to be in that top 15.



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“I’ve also set myself goals in Jiu-Jitsu as well and I want to win the Europeans at brown belt along with a few other goals. It’s going to be a big year of improving and achieving those goals.”



While most needn’t be reminded of Breese’s talent, those who have should be fully aware of what he’s bringing to the table this year at 185 pounds. Breese believes 2017 will be his year and that on March 18, we will be seeing the best version of himself yet inside the Octagon.



“I’m loving it. Being back home has brought my passion back,” Breese said. “Being in another country and cutting all that weight I just didn’t want to do it—it took all the fun away. I decided after I my last fight I just wanted to enjoy myself. I’ve made sacrifices and I’ll continue to make sacrifices, but at the end of the day the most important thing is enjoying it. The more you enjoy it the better you are going to get at it because it’s a passion.



“I’ve learned my lessons and I’ve learned my trade. This is going to be the best Tom Breese now—I’ve matured.”