Former UFC lightweight contender turned featherweight Din Thomas is planning a return in a big way this Spring. The rumor running about has been a proposed matchup with one of boxing’s greats in Ricardo Mayorga, who reportedly signed with Shine Fights sometime last year.

And in that last year, Din was signed as well to Shine Fights after a debacle with an initial matchup with WEC veteran, Javier Vasquez.

“After last year, I like to compete during a certain time, almost seasonal”, said Din while speaking with the Fight Network.
“It’s hard for me to stay focused and motivated for like a whole year. Between like January and May, I’m really focused and motivated to fight because after that point it’s almost like ‘oh god, not another one’”, continued Din.

“I think that’s what happened last year when I was supposed to fight Javier Vasquez. I had a hard time making the weight, I just wasn’t all that motivated at that point to be like ‘oh man, let me just go out there and kill this dude’. When that whole debacle happened with the weight cut and the commission, I was just like ‘man, I need this rest of year off’, and than I took the rest of the year off, without a doubt”.

Thomas, a product of the famed American Top Team based out Coconut Creek, Florida believes that the Nicaraguan native is “…crazy enough, he doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into.”

Though the matchup with Mayorga is what appears to be his next fight coming up, Din can’t help but look at what’s ahead. In an earlier interview, Din stated that though the WEC is where he would ultimately like to be, he didn’t want to be Mike Brown (the than WEC featherweight champion) wingman. Things have changed and now Thomas suggests that wherever a door may open, Din is willing to walk through them under the right conditions.

“If everything played out right and that was the next logical thing—I’m not closing the doors on any opportunities”, said the 33-year-old.

“I’m not saying ‘oh no, I wouldn’t go to the WEC’ and that’s whether Mike Brown was the champ or not. I’m not closing my doors on any opportunity. If the opportunity came up that I can go to the WEC and the money was looking right and there were opponents willing to fight me than I’d definitely do it”.

 One of the true pioneers of the sport, Din has been active since early 1996, marking him a near 14-year veteran in the fight game, a feet that only a few men can lay claim to. Having fought against some of the best in the world at 170 and 155, the father of two knows that in order to stay hungry and motivated, he must approach everything in stride, one step at a time.
“I’m 33 now. In years, its not that old really, some people might say its but its not that old really”, said Din to “The Fight Network”.

“I’ve been fighting professionally since 99’ so it’s been like 11 years now. That’s professionally and I’ve been fighting amateur since 96’. I’ve been doing this for a long time so it’s hard to stay motivated and focused and to have that killer instinct all the time. I have to really pace myself and take a step at a time.

“I fought Caol Uno in 99’, B.J. Penn in 2001, (Dokonjonosuke) Mishima in 2000, Jens Pulver in 2000, there’s always somebody to fight. I just take my time and fight whoever they put in front of me.

“I’m thinking he steps up and I’m going to put on a good show for everybody, I mean that’s going to be a fight that ain’t nobody going to want to miss”