Dalton Rosta returns to the City of Champions to earn his shot
Dalton Rosta is returning home to Pittsburgh on Saturday and he is looking to use the energy from a hometown crowd to secure a PFL title shot.
Anytime a fighter is able to fight in front of a friendly crowd, or one that backs him, it adds another wrinkle to what they are capable of. Now, when you place a fighter inside an arena that is within his hometown, the possibilities are endless.
We see what it looks like for Alexander Volkanovski to fight in New South Wales, or when Stipe Miocic fights in Cleveland, it adds another dynamic. On Saturday, when the PFL makes its debut in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it will be Dalton Rosta’s turn to gather that extra energy.
During an interview with Ariel Helwani on Wednesday, Rosta talked about the excitement he has for fighting so close to home.
“It takes away a little bit of pressure, I am at home. . .I’ve been looking forward to something like this since I signed with Bellator.”
The PFL middleweight is looking to showcase himself in front of a crowd that is used to seeing him at his best in his career. He boasts a record of 11-2, and by adding a 12th win, he could be staring a title shot in the face.
Rosta opened up about what he sees on the table on Saturday. When asked if he thinks he can earn a title shot, despite coming off a loss, he is taking the approach to make it undeniable for the PFL to pass him over.
The main event is a bout between his American Top Team teammate Johnny Eblen and Bryan Battle. Despite those two big names, Rosta explained, “I think whoever puts on the best performance seals their shot for the title.”
Rosta, as we mentioned, is coming off a loss, and it was handed to him by someone who just fought for the PFL middleweight title in Fabian Edwards. Rosta and Edwards met in the PFL Middleweight Finals in August of last year, and the Pittsburgh native had looked good. However, in his own words, he took his foot off the gas after one of his coaches put it in his head that he could have three more rounds ahead of him. The end result was Edwards picked things up and found another gear, pulled a classic move from the Edwards family, and won via head kick.
Rosta spoke about this in his interview and said, “I was broken. Leading up to that fight, I did everything right…I don’t think I could’ve done anything more. . .it just slipped out of my hands in a moment.”
He now comes into this fight at PFL Pittsburgh doing those same things, the extra conditioning, the diet, and being around the right people, in hopes he can secure a chance at the ultimate prize within the Pro Fighters League. Listening to him speak, he sounds like he is in the right spot, he looks the part as well.
Now all that is left is for Rosta to do what he believes he is capable of, as he has his eyes on gold within the promotion.