Aaron Chalmers opens up about why it's been a frustrating time for the Bellator fighter and what his plans are for the rest of the year.
The former Geordie Shore star (5-2-0) suffered his second career loss to Austin Clem before the coronavirus pandemic put a stop to all sporting activity.
Chalmers and his girlfriend welcomed their first child together in April, but the Newcastle fighter says it's been a tough time not being able to get back in the cage.
"I'm not one for making excuses. I got in there on the night and I thought I could win, but it wasn't a great time. I worked on my camp, which was meant to be 12 weeks but it only worked out four weeks," revealed Chalmers. "There was a lot of stuff behind closed doors. Six weeks before the fight (against Clem) I was ill for two weeks, totally bedbound, and then it seemed to be one thing after another.
"When I got in there on fight night I though I could win, but he beat me fair and square so it was a bitter pill so swallow I'm not going to lie. It was my first time outside of the UK and I wanted to get that off with a bang but it didn't happen. It was a boring fight, and was really frustrating.
"When the gyms open back up we will be going back to the drawing board and we'll be putting that right. That's 100 per cent certain."
Corey Browning and Clem have inflicted the two defeats on Chalmers during his career and the 33-year-old has said he would like a rematch with both fighters in the future. Chalmers also reflected on what has been a frustrating time for him over the past 12 months.
He said: "From February last year to February this year it has been a very frustrating year. I've taken it really bad but I've had a son that's come along so hopefully it's going to give me a second wind and hopefully there will be no more half camps, no more three, four weeks training. It's going to be full 12 weeks camps and I think I will demolish them both of them in the first round."
Chalmers was keen to fit in four fights in 2020 before the virus struck but he insists he's in "no rush" to jump into his next fight when lockdown ends.
"I don't want to rush in and get another defeat. I want to have a lot more wins than loses and the only way of doing that is by having proper camps," he added.
"Four fights is definitely out of the picture, three could be possible, but health and safety comes first and I have a baby here so even if it's December then that's just what it's going to have to be."
Watch the first semi-final of the Heavyweight World Grand Prix from Bellator 207 at the Mohegan Sun Arena, as Matt Mitrione faces off against Ryan Bader. Plus, Roy Nelson meets Sergei Kharitonov Also in HD at 10pm Saturday on Sky Sports Action