Kent’s “Freight Train” Hamilton set for match on big UFC 181 card

It hasn’t even been six months since “Freight Train” Anthony Hamilton made his first appearance in a UFC octagon, but the fighter from Kent is already on the eve of his third fight with the promotion.

Hamilton will take his 13-3-0 professional record (and 1-1 UFC record) into Saturday’s huge UFC 181 card at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas against Todd Duffee, who has taken a much different road to the bout. While Hamilton has been one of the busier fighters in the promotion, Duffee hasn’t fought in two years.

Hamilton doesn’t expect the powerful Duffee (8-2-0) to be off his game, though, as he told Bob Stelton on 710 ESPN Seattle’s “Get in the Cage” Friday.

“He’s gonna be tough no matter what,” Hamilton said. “The guy is very talented, he’s explosive, he’s got knockout power on both hands. I’m just treating it as I’m facing the best Todd Duffee there’s ever been.”

Both Hamilton and Duffee are known for their striking power, but even though the 6-foot-5 Hamilton has a two-inch advantage, taking his chances in a boxing match isn’t likely in the cards vs. the 29-year-old Duffee.

“Todd Duffee’s strength is definitely his boxing, but I’ve had a few knockouts on the feet as well. It’s a little bit tempting to get out there and trade blows with him, but I think at that moment it becomes a 50-50 deal and it’s whoever lands first,” he said. “As long as I stay smart and work the game plan I have in place ,no matter where the fight goes I think I’ll be ready to win.”

A win over Duffee would turn a lot of heads for the 34-year-old Hamilton, who said he’s feeling comfortable in the UFC spotlight after getting a pair of bouts in the promotion under his belt.

“It was crazy. I was just really overcome with emotion,” he said of his first UFC fight, a loss to Alexey Oliynyk on June 28. “I was almost crying when I walked out to that cage just because of the long road that I’ve taken and all the sacrifices that myself and my family have made … I think it kinda clouded my mind a little bit, having Bruce Buffer announcing your name and having all these people there and Dana White there. It was an amazing feeling and an amazing moment for me.

“The second time around (an Aug. 30 win over Ruan Potts) I was able to kinda focus up and get all that other stuff out of the way, so it was a little more natural and I was able to handle some business.”