Michael McDonald won't fight for the UFC's interim bantamweight title this summer, but the organization recently gave him another stamp of approval.
The 21-year-old contender has signed a new four-fight extension with the UFC.
The fighter's manager, Tom Call of Impact Fighting Management, today confirmed the new deal with MMAjunkie.com (
UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com).
McDonald (15-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) debuted with Zuffa in 2010, when he submitted Clint Godfrey at WEC 52. Since a move to the UFC, he's stretched his current win streak to eight fights with UFC victories over Edwin Figueroa, Chris Cariaso, Alex Soto and Miguel Torres.
Thanks partially to his vicious knockout of Torres at UFC 145, McDonald was one of three fighters in the running for a UFC 148 fight against Faber. When reigning titleholder Dominick Cruz was forced out of the event with a knee injury, Faber was slotted for an interim-title fight against an opponent to be determined. Renan Barao ultimately got the nod over McDonald and Ivan Menjivar.
Still, McDonald, a former Tachi Palace Fights champion who made his pro debut as a 16-year-old, should be in line for big fights and a likely title eliminator when he returns to the cage.
Currently, he's awaiting word on his next booking. But despite his young age (he's the second-youngest fighter on the UFC roster), he believes he can beat anyone in the 135-pound division.
"The competition to me is primarily in myself and proving to myself that I can do it," McDonald recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio. "There are all these people in the world that everyone thinks is great.
"But I think I can beat them, and I want to put that to the test. Because I think I can."
