After battling self-doubt, Pat Sabatini aims to 'keep the ball rolling' after UFC on ESPN 46 win

LAS VEGAS – Pat Sabatini rebounded in emphatic fashion at UFC on ESPN 46.

Sabatini (18-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC) scored a Round 2 submission of Lucas Almeida this past Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The NCAA Division I wrestler lived up to his promise of showing Almeida that his grappling his levels above.

Sabatini returned to the win column after suffering a quick TKO loss to Damon Jackson last September, and admitted that doubt started creeping in after the setback.

“There’s a feeling coming over adversity, just with anything in life,” Sabatini told reporters, including MMA Junkie, post-fight at UFC on ESPN 46. “Coming off the last loss to this, you battle self-doubt, you battle your own inner demons, and when you come out on top, that’s a feeling that you can’t even describe.”

The loss to Jackson snapped Sabatini’s six-fight winning streak. It took him seven days to return to the gym, and now that he’s back to winning ways, he hopes to carry that momentum through to the top.

“I always found setbacks and losses my biggest motivator,” Sabatini said. “Anytime I’ve ever lost or felt that feeling, I’ve come back twice as hard. I’ve just got to keep that energy after this win, keep the ball rolling.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 46.