Brent Primus is constantly aware of his journey every day.
As well as his journey in the world of mixed martial arts, the former Bellator lightweight champion talked about the path he’s taken to get to this point in his life: 39 years old, happily married and with a “beautiful wife, three kids, a great house, and, you know, all the things that weren’t there when I was growing up.”
He’s keeping it all in perspective ahead of the two most important fights of his MMA career – Saturday’s PFL semifinal against Clay Collard in Hollywood, Fla., and a championship fight this fall that will earn him $1 million per year inside the cage.
Primus is not the stubborn 13-year-old boy who was kicked out of his Oregon home by his stepfather.
He stopped buying and selling marijuana — enough for a teenager without adult supervision to keep the lights on, and enough to attract the attention of both Los Angeles “gangs” and the police.
That was another generation ago, before Primus left street fighting for the humble path of becoming a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master, staying on the right path and ultimately earning the top seed in the PFL lightweight postseason tournament.
“It’s amazing what life can bring you and what you can make from it,” Primus mused to The Post during a recent video call. “It’s pretty cool. And winning this million dollars is definitely a great thing for me and my family.”
Primus’ tumultuous youth is well known by now, and his bout with Collado came just under 14 years after he made his professional mixed martial arts debut.
He is one of the few mixed martial artists who can say they’ve been champion in the main arena of Madison Square Garden, scoring a TKO victory over current UFC star Michael Chandler in June 2017 during a rare visit by the former Bellator regime to the world’s most famous arena.
“I remember fighting at Madison Square Garden and thinking, [against] Michael Chandler, I remember walking up there and thinking, ‘Wow, I chose this, I worked for this, and I could have ended up in jail or something stupid, like a lot of my friends did,'” Primus said, emphasizing that he carries gratitude with him wherever he goes.
He took that to the PFL after Bellator was bought by a rival company vying for the No. 2 spot in North American MMA behind industry leader UFC.
Along the way, Primus (14-3, 12 finishes) signed a contract that allows him to fight in the PFL or at events the promotion continues to hold using the Bellator brand, but said he was limited to competing in a 10-man, 155-pound field in the regular season that began in April.
That means there will be a maximum of four games this year, meaning two regular-season games that could qualify for a four-on-four tournament.
Primus’ mixed martial arts career dates back to his mid-20s, but from his 2010 debut through his Bellator 300 bye (a loss to current Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov that was overturned after he tested positive for a banned substance) he competed in just 16 professional fights and never more than two in a single year.
Still, a busier competition schedule would be welcome for Primus, which hasn’t necessarily favored a lighter annual load.
“It was difficult to keep playing the games. [in Bellator]”And even when I asked to get it, I never got it,” Primus explains, though he’s not sure why that happened. “That’s why I really love this PFL platform and this whole season, because we fight three or four times a year. I really love it. I love keeping busy. I love being in the gym. Of course, I can’t wait to eat carbs and dessert, but I love keeping busy. It’s great. I love PFL.”
Certainly, Primus’s impressive performance this season has also helped, with the grappling ace scoring two rear-naked choke submissions to earn a total of nine points in the standings and the top seed in his bracket.
Wins over Bruno Miranda in April and Solomon Renfro in June paved the way for a crucial semifinal bout against Collado (25-13, 15 KOs).
Primus has two wins by TKO and Collard has three by submission, but it’s no secret where each is most effective: Primus’ strength is on the mat, while Collard’s strength is in his striking skills, which have seen him win his first five bouts in a remarkable 2020 ring.
Still, Primus says he’s “more than just a fighter” and is absolutely confident in his Muay Thai and boxing skills against such opponents.
“I know I can stop Clay Collard with kicks and punches. know “Especially the way he keeps his hands low and ducks down,” Primus explained, pointing out possible ways to tackle an opponent who has lost three of his last four fights, including one by armbar submission. “I’m confident I can knock him out, but at the same time, yeah, I’m going to take that guy down, I’m going to choke him out and I’m going to submit this guy.”
