Gino Van Steenis aims to prove his steady growth at PFL Tampa.
Van Steenis (8-2) competes on the prelims against Robert Watley in a lightweight bout at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla. It's a chance to stretch his current winning streak to three, and even though he's put together back-to-back stoppages, he hopes to do more to impress the fans.
"I'm just starting," van Steenis told MMA Junkie Radio. "I really feel like every fight I'm getting better. Every training I'm getting better. I didn't show yet, the people, what I'm capable of, and I really want to show it every fight. I think it's now my time."
The van Steenis name carries a lot of weight in the PFL promotion, as Gino's older and bigger brother, Costello, is the former middleweight
champion. He hopes to follow in those footsteps in the near future, but knows there is more work to be done first.
"I think I'm not so far," Gino said. "I'm not there yet; I know I'm not there yet. I'm growing better every week, every month, and I'm training with the best people – and I'm there. They're not better than me. I think I need a little bit more experience, and I can be a champion within – I don't know, one day. Give me the chance – but I think in two years, I'm definitely a champion."
Watley (16-4) is 1-1 under the PFL banner, and comes into this fight after a 34-second knockout loss against Dakota Bush in March, which snapped a five-fight winning streak. Gino sees the opportunity to put another stoppage loss on his opponent's record, but isn't quite sure which round it may come.
"In my head, it's gonna be a finish," Gino said. "I really don't know if it's gonna be in the first round. It can be. I don't know if it's gonna be in the second round or the third round, but I really believe with all my heart, it's gonna be a finish. It's gonna be a knockout."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Like his brother, Gino van Steenis sees PFL gold in his future
