Tyler Diamond eyes UFC bout in Sacramento after shining in LFA win

Tyler Diamond returned to action last weekend for the first time in nearly a year. The TUF vet turned heads with an impressive victory in the main event for LFA. After that, he spoke with Fightbook MMA.

How did it feel to finally get back in the cage?

It felt amazing being back in the cage. I absolutely hated the 10 month lay-off I had. I’ve been very active in my career so that was a very hard time for me in my career thus far.

How would you rate your performance?

I’d have to rate my performance an A for a few reasons. Number one, I didn’t feel well at all, I was battling some type of stomach issue & I only weighed 152lbs going into the cage. I fought through it & many people couldn’t even tell that I didn’t feel very good. Additionally, I chose to fight a tough guy for my return fight. Not many people would have wanted to fight someone who was 10-0 coming off of two losses.

Does anything beat having your hand raised after a tough fight?

To this point, I haven’t experienced anything better than getting a win inside that cage. I work extremely hard & for everything to work out how it should feels incredible.

Did you do anything to celebrate your victory?

To celebrate I did my usual, I surrounded myself with those that I love the most. My family. They’re my support system & without them & my fiancé I’d be very difficult to continue chasing this career.

What’s the next step?

Hopefully the next step is to get resigned to the UFC & fight in Sacramento! That’d be a dream! I’ve proven that I bring it every time & it’s impossible for me to be in a boring fight. You can’t say the same for every featherweight in the UFC.

Where would you like to be one year from today?

One year from today I’d like to for sure be fighting for an organization that pays me what I deserve to be paid. I’ve been doing this for too long to be paid peanuts. I’m 28 & one of the best fighters in the world. It’s time for me to be paid accordingly. This sport is one of the hardest ways to make a living.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank while you have this opportunity?

There’s too many people I need to thank! Success is never earned alone! I have an amazing support system! From my fiancé & family to everyone in the town of Oroville that loves seeing me fighting on TV. So many people give me props & are genuinely invested in seeing me succeed. It’s an incredible feeling to know how big of a following I have & I’m forever grateful.