I was referring to pro fights but I should have specified that. He did spend the three years prior to his pro career in amateur MMA. In those 3 years he spent a total of 6 minutes and 32 seconds in actual fights. After his first fight which he won in 45 seconds, he waited 13 months to fight again in a fight which he won in 52 seconds. In his final amateur fight which he won in 51 seconds, he waited twenty months to fight again, this time in his first pro fight which won in 17 seconds. That work pace isn't exactly what you'd call setting the world on fire. An athlete's twenties are just so valuable, they must be used in an optimal manner. Even a moderately paced fight schedule would very likely have gotten him into The UFC at least two years earlier. Also keep in mind, the older we get, the slower we learn new physical skills.