Bader feels at the bottom of the totem pole

Ryan Bader feels he is ‘at the bottom of the totem pole’ in the UFC Light Heavyweight division at the moment.

Bader, who knocked out Vinny Magalhaes to win the last season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, will make his first UFC appearance on April 1, when he will fight Carmelo Marrero.

He told CagePotato.com: “Coming off the show I think I’m at the bottom of the totem pole right now.  I think I have to win three or four fight before I start fighting the middle or top tier guys.  That’s going to be a while.  I need time to grow as a fighter.  I’m not looking to go right out there and fight Rampage or anything. 

“I need to get my ring time in, win my fights, and get better.  Beating Carmello, I don’t think it really puts me anywhere.  It just shows that I belong here.  Carmello’s a tough dude.  I watched him fight live before.  He fought my training partner (Steve Steinbeiss) in his last fight and he was tough.”

Tags: UFC