Nate Landwehr secured his first knockout win in the UFC against Jamall Emmers and hopes to return to the ring in July or August, aiming for another shot at breaking into the featherweight rankings.
Nate Landwehr knew what was coming. The moment UFC scheduled him against Jamall Emmers for a featherweight tilt at UFC Atlantic City, he was certain of three things.
Firstly, this fight wouldn’t be a snooze fest. Secondly, it was never going to be a walk in the park. And thirdly, it was just a matter of time before Emmers buckled under the relentless pressure. The same pressure that has transformed Landwehr into a crowd-pleaser during his eight-fight UFC stint.
“Man, I had him figured out,” Landwehr confessed on The MMA Hour. “His record showed he was 3-3 [in UFC], but I reckon he beat Giga [Chikadze] and Jenkins. So, in my mind, he had only lost one fight due to that [Pat Sabatini] heel hook. Talent-wise, he could’ve been undefeated in UFC. But mentally, we were worlds apart. I was determined to break him, no matter what.”
“It’s in my DNA, man. I’m a fighter’s fighter. I show up for these fights. That’s what I do. Now, I’ve got four wins out of the last five fights, and four bonuses.”
Landwehr, 35, continues to be a must-watch in UFC’s 145-pound division with his explosive post-fight interviews and all-or-nothing fighting style. His recent bout against Emmers was no exception. After an early setback, Landwehr fought back, knocking out Emmers with a punch combo in the final seconds of the first round. This marked the first KO win of his electrifying UFC career.
This win helped Landwehr bounce back from a recent disappointing match against Dan Ige. It also put him back on track for featherweight contention.
“People don’t like easy wins. You get me?” Landwehr quipped. “So, him landing a few punches on me was like, wow, you can root for that. Everyone loves a good comeback story.”
“Mentally, bouncing back from a loss is tough. But for me, it’s always been straightforward. I live for this. It’s in my blood. I’ve always believed that the next one is the best one. Growing up, I was fast, but not the fastest. Strong, but not the strongest. I couldn’t rely on physical gifts. That’s why I tell my buddies, being good ain’t enough. You could be better than your opponent, but that means jack when you step into the ring. You’ve got to make it happen.”
Sporting a fresh black eye and a nasty set of stitches above his left eyebrow, Landwehr plans to return to the ring around July or August. He wants to make up for lost time after taking a break since June 2023 for the birth of his first son. He also hopes his exciting win over Emmers would convince UFC matchmakers to give him another shot at breaking into the featherweight rankings after his stumble against Ige.
“It’s wild to think about an ideal opponent because things change so fast,” Landwehr mused. “The person you want to fight might get beaten, and someone you never considered might rise quickly. Like Diego Lopes. Two years ago, who was he? Now, he’s a big deal. So, you never know who’s going to shine. If you take two months off, you never know who’s going to be the guy.”
“So, if UFC is game, I’d love another shot at the top 15. I fell short against Dan Ige, but if you ignore those two knockdowns, it was a pretty close fight.”