My baby son was born this year, I’ve got to provide for him and I do that by beating people up, says PFL’s Clay Collard
CLAY COLLARD has money on his mind as he enters the 2023 Professional Fighters League season with an extra mouth to feed.
The American is now in his third year with the PFL, which consists of qualifying and knockout stages.
Points are earned per method of victory in the opening two bouts with the top four in each weight progressing into the semi-finals.
From there, it is victory-or-go-home culminating in a winner-take-all finale fight where a title belt and $1million cheque lays in wait.
Collard, 30, returns for another crack at the belt and prize money with additions to both his team and family,
He welcomed son Krew into the world in June – just in time to give him even more motivation heading into his season opener.
Collard told SunSport: “We’ve changed a lot.
“I’m with a whole new camp, new team, new coach, I’ve got a little baby this year, last year he was on the way.
“So we’ve got a little more to fight for. I think people are going to see a Clay Collard that is just better all around.”
The father-of-four knows he is just four fights from earning the life-changing cheque – but he would have to earn it the hard way.
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He said: “I’ve got bills to pay and more mouths to feed. That new life, I’ve got to take care of him and how I do that is by beating people up.
“I’m the best version of myself that I’ve ever been and it’s because of him and it’s because in the back of my mind, I know I’ve got to set him up for the future.
“And my family altogether, I’ve got three other boys as well so with the baby and my three older boys, my older brother too, his kid was born too.
“I’ve got plenty of people that I’m looking after and that could really benefit from winning some big cheques.”
Collard beat ex-UFC champion Anthony Pettis, 36, in the 2021 season but was eliminated in the semis.
He failed to make it into the knockout stages last year but did win a fight of the year contender against Jeremy Stephens, 36, this time 12 months ago.
Collard continues to thrill fans – like he has done throughout his career – but credits PFL for allowing him to do so on a greater scale.
He said: “Honestly, I think it’s been like that my whole career, it’s just with the PFL, I have a bigger platform and more people are able to tune in.
“They’re starting to recognise it, win, lose or draw, I’m in Fight of The Night almost every single times and it’s because I come to bang.
“I take risks and I just don’t give a f***.”