BY BRYCE PHILLIPS

STAR STAFF

bryce.phillips@elizabethton.com
Adam “Primetime” Townsend is primed and ready for the fight of his life.

The Hampton man is set to fight on his first Resurrection Fighting Alliance tonight at the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Tunica, Miss., and the event will be broadcast on ASX TV at 10 p.m. EST.

On Wednesday, while on his way there, Townsend talked about his upcoming fight.

The Hampton fighter currently holds a 12-3 record.

“I am just excited,” said Townsend. “This is the most publicity that I have ever had. This is the biggest fight card that I have ever been on. It’s great that the fight is going to be shown on AXS TV, and a ton of people are going to see. I’m just excited to be a part of it.”

Townsend will be facing Yuri Villefort, a Brazilian who holds a record of 6-4. Villefort is part of the Blackzillians Fighting Team, a group of fighters from the Boca Raton, Fla. area, who specialize in many fighting styles, including Brazillian Ju Jitsu. Villefort entered the professional fighting world at the age of 18, and during his opening year, he won three fights. In 2013, he had two fights at the UFC level, but lost both. Villefort will be coming into the bout off a four-fight losing streak.

“He has been around,” Townsend said. He has been where I want to go. He has had a little bit of a bad stint, losing his last few fights. . . He is probably going to be the toughest fight I have ever fought.

“He is a trainer and coach at the Blackzillian which is one of the top gyms in America,” Townsend added. “So, it is definitely a big deal for me going up against a guy who has fought in the UFC, and who has such a big name in the MMA sport.”

To get ready for Villefort, who will be hungry for a win, Townsend hasn’t been doing anything different.

“I have been training the same way,” Townsend said. “I am just ready to go out there and put on a show. I am going to go out there and throw some bombs and go for my take downs like I always do. Nothing is going to change as far as my game plan goes.

“I just have to be careful with him on the ground,” Townsend added. “I just have to watch out and make sure I don’t leave anything hanging out there for him to get a hold of, because he is a blackbelt in Ju Jitsu. But don’t get me wrong. I am not worried about going to the ground with him.”

Coming into the fight, Townsend will be riding in on a six-fight winning streak, five of which came by way of submission, with one coming from a TKO.

Townsend’s most recent MMA fight was against Craig Johnson on Jan.

10 during the Apex Fights 4 promotion in Blountville. The fight ended with Townsend tapping Johnson out with a rear-naked chokehold in the third round.

For Townsend, this upcoming fight is just another stepping stone towards his goal of fighting in the UFC.

“I’m looking to put another win on my record,” he said, “and move forward in my career.”