That durability and consistency have been hallmarks of Magny’s career from the outset, even in the moments when the results haven’t always been there.
Regardless of recent results, you can count on the 38-year-old veteran turning up three or four times a year, ready to take on anyone from the latest emerging talent in need of a veteran litmus test or a fellow stalwart in a battle to see who can take an important step forward in the division.
He has only suffered back-to-back defeats twice in his UFC career — once at the outset, and again prior to his win over dos Santos — which is even more impressive considering he’s made 35 trips into the Octagon and earned 23 victories, which puts him in a 5-way tie for second most with Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, Donald Cerrone, and Andrei Arlovski, four back of all-time wins leader Jim Miller.
“I have to give credit to one of my longtime coaches, Leister Bowling — that guy instilled that in me a long time ago when I started training with him,” Magny said when asked where his signature consistency comes from. “Whether I had a good day, bad day, whatever it may be, he always kept it direct with me, always kept it honest with me… If I went out there and won, but the margin was very small, he’d call me out. If I went in and had a practice where I wasn’t my best — ‘Yeah Coach, today was just a tough one; I don’t know what was going on’ — he would literally tell you, ‘Yeah, you looked like absolute crap. Whatever it is that’s going on in your mind or physically, take care of it and move forward.’ I think that level of accountability with a coach allows me to be where I’m at now to where I can immediately assess what is going on and make adjustments, rather than sit around and try to find someone or something to blame.
“That’s what I’m doing with this fight now,” he added. “Even in the last fight with Elizeu, it’s a great win, great performance, but there are definitely things I could improve on, so I didn’t waste any time addressing them, and making the necessary adjustments.”
