By Canadian Press

T.J. Laramie cites lessons learned as he looks to climb back the MMA ladder

Jan 23, 2025 | 2:22 PM

TORONTO — T.J. (The Truth) Laramie was just 22 when he earned a UFC contract on “Dana White’s Contender Series” in August 2020. But two losses later, his UFC adventure was over.

The featherweight from Windsor, Ont., has since won two fights outside of the UFC and looks to make it three on Friday against Trinidad and Tobago’s Joash (The Honey Badger) Walkins in the co-main event of Unified 60 in Toronto.

It’s a road he hopes will lead him back to the UFC.

‘I am only 27, still. Even after being in and out of the UFC,” Laramie said. “So I have a lot of experience under my belt at the age I am. I’ve definitely got better and I’m going to continue to get better.”

Laramie (14-5-0), making his Unified MMA debut, is facing an in-form fighter in Walkins (16-1-0), who has won 12 straight since losing to Dutch fighter Joziro Boye via first-round KO in April 2015.

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Walkins, who calls himself “the king of MMA for the Caribbean,” also views Friday’s bout as a stepping-stone.

“The Honey Badger is going to put a whuppin’ on T.J. Laramie on our date and show the world how great he is,” he said enthusiastically in a social media video. “Hopefully the UFC will find an interest in me and I could go to that level and achieve greatness.”

The main event at the Rebel Entertainment Complex pits welterweight Zack (Pow Pow) Powell (8-2-0) of Niagara Falls, Ont., against Ottawa’s Mo Ado (5-1-0).

Laramie is philosophical about his first go-round in the UFC.

“Whether I was too young at the time or whatever it may have been, it wasn’t my time back then,” he said. “The next time around I’ll be a lot more prepared. I’ll be a lot more mature. I’ll be ready to take on a challenge like that, whether it’s the UFC or any other major organization.”

Laramie will mark his 10th anniversary as a pro fighter come March.

“At this point in my career, I honestly might have more runway behind me than in front of me, which is crazy to say,” he said,

And valuable lessons have been learned along the way.

“I’ve been doing this over half my life now,” he said. “So I’m just trying to really not focus on the destination so much as the journey, what it takes to get there. Because … I put the UFC and a lot of things on a pedestal for so long that it was a little bit disappointing when I actually got there.”

“Sometimes slow is the fastest way,” he added.

Laramie was the first Canadian to earn a UFC contract via the Contender TV show after winning by TKO over American Daniel (Agent Orange) Swain via doctor stoppage. Laramie was taken down in the first round but, after surviving a couple of submission attempts, did some serious damage from the top position.

Swain did not make it to the second round, telling the doctor he was having trouble breathing from an apparent rib injury.

“(An) absolute savage … I love savages. I love guys that fight like this kid fights. Welcome to the UFC, kid,” White told Laramie after the bout.

Laramie wept in the cage following the victory, which came on his late mother’s birthday.

Laramie was pressed into action just 39 days later, losing his UFC debut by first-round submission to American Darrick Minner. Minner, who came into the bout with 35 pro fights under his belt, caught Laramie in his trademark guillotine choke, starting from a standing position as Laramie looked for a takedown at the fence, to force a tapout after just 52 seconds.

Laramie did not fight for another 19 months, thanks to the pandemic and several bouts falling through due to injury

He returned to action in April 2022 against American featherweight Pat Sabatini, who controlled him on the ground in the second and third rounds en route to a unanimous (30-26) decision on another Fight Night card in Las Vegas.

Laramie was introduced to MMA as a fan through his father, and that interest grew into a passion after he took a class. He began training at age 12.

After playing soccer and football — one year as a high school middle linebacker — he found he liked the individual aspect of combat sports.

“Whatever you put in, you get back out. You’re not relying on anybody else. It’s all on you”.

Laramie had his first pro fight at 17 — in Japan as part of an MMA reality TV show called “Fight Xchange.” He needed just two minutes 33 seconds to win by TKO.

When not fighting, Laramie moonlights as a barber. He taught himself from YouTube videos during high school, and has been cutting hair since he was 16. He also teaches classes at his gym.

Laramie divides his training between Windsor and the Toronto area, splitting his weeks between Windsor and Oakville to cut down the commute.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2025

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press