John Howard on fate, satisfaction, and UFC 189

LAS VEGAS --- Heading into tonight's UFC 189, welterweight John Howard has lost three consecutive fights. The 32 year-old certainly doesn't have a gimme fight in his bid to get back on winning track, either.

He'll face Cathal Pendred, who will have the support of the thousands of Irish likely to be in attendance at the MGM Grand, and he's undefeated thus far in his UFC career. He's also half a decade younger than "Doomsday."

That more advanced age has given the Bostonian some calming perspective, however. Instead of letting the pressure of the prospect of losing a fourth-straight fight and possibly being released by the UFC, Howard told FOX Sports that he's focused on the things he can control.

"I look at it like a matter of fate. If I obsess on winning or losing, I won't do what I need to do," he told us, Thursday afternoon. 

"All I can do is train hard and show up and fight. We prepared well, and I believe I can win. But it's my job to fight, that's it. I can't control everything."

Howard went on to say that it wasn't a philosophy that he's always had. As a young fighter, he'd waste energy stressing about fight outcomes, instead of simply preparing to fight.

Now, the veteran KO artist lives, trains, and fights with the freedom that satisfaction in knowing he's already accomplished a great deal over the course of his ten year-plus career. "No matter what happens, I'm happy with what I've done," he explained.

"Not everyone can get to the top. I still believe I can, but even if I don't, I'm happy with what I've done in the sport."

All that's left, now, is the fight itself. Whether or not he can guarantee a good outcome for himself, Howard is eagerly, and calmly anticipating simply getting in there and mixing it up.

"All I can do is fight, now," he ended.

"That's my job, that's what I can control, and that's what I'm going to do."