


The “Steamrolla” flattened another favored foe, and he’s got a high-profile target in his sights.
With Mets owner Steve Cohen cageside to watch Mets fan and Long Island native Matt Frevola bust up and finish off lightweight knockout artist Drew Dober in the featured prelim via first-round knockout to close out the ESPN-aired portion of UFC 288 at Prudential Center on Saturday night.
“On my best day, there’s nobody in the world that I can’t beat,” Frevola told reporters after the win. “I believe in my skills, I believe in my power, and if I hit anybody clean, they could get knocked out.”
Frevola (11-3-1, seven finishes) battered the top-15 Dober mostly from the outside, avoiding the 34-year-old’s notorious power and passing the biggest test of his career and leaving Newark with a third consecutive first-round (T)KO finish.
The result snapped a streak of three consecutive knockout victories for Dober (26-12, 19 finishes).
The 32-year-old, who needed just 4:08 to be the first to score a knockout on the longtime UFC veteran Dober in 12 years, repeated in the cage the callout he has been making for months: He wants lightweight lightning rod Paddy Pimblett next.
Though Frevola secured his first win off a ranked UFC opponent, he said he has no problem fighting down against the likes of fellow up-and-comer Pimblett.
“Look at Drew Dober; he gave me the opportunity,” Frevola said. “He didn’t have to fight back in the rankings and do that. I think that there’s a lot of fun, exciting fights in the lightweight division in the UFC, not just ranked guys.”
Minutes before Frevola made his way to the octagon to the tunes of Timmy Trumpet’s “Narco” — the song made famous during Mets closer Edwin Diaz’s superlative season a year ago — Cohen made his way to his seat to appreciate the local Amazin’s fan’s athletic pursuits.
Frevola, who pulls for the Mets, Jets and Islanders, had tossed out the first pitch at the April 28 game at Citi Field and, while visiting the owner’s suite, invited the Cohens to his fight.
But Frevola said he couldn’t find Cohen, whom was put up on the in-arena screens to boos — presumably from a pro-Yankees crowd.
“I was looking around for him. I didn’t see him,” said the lightweight victor. “I’m just so happy I was able to show out for him.”