On March 10 at UFC 299 in Las Vegas, Moldovan light heavyweight fighter Ion Cutelaba will fight Brazilian Philipe Lins in the octagon.
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In an interview with Telecomasia.net ahead of the fight, he told:
- about the preparation for the fight with Lins;
- his reaction when Russians call him Ivan;
- what he expects from the return of Petr Yan;
- what he thinks of Magomed Ankalaev;
- why Jamahal Hill will beat Alex Pereira;
- Vadim Nemkov's potential success in the heavyweight division.
"I discovered the biggest mistake that made me lose"
- In your previous fight with Tanner Boser you broke a series of three defeats. Did that victory feel special?
- Of course, it was very satisfying. You have to work hard to get results, it applies to everything. I always finish my camps, but the fights are always different. Last time everything was good. This time the camp was great as well, so we are waiting for good results.
- What exactly did you change in your training to get this success?
- I didn't need to change much. I found my biggest mistake. I think that's what made me lose. Of course, we'll see how it goes, because sometimes we make mistakes. But I think I found the thread that I need to pull.
- What do you think about your upcoming opponent, Brazilian Philipe Lins? How is he different from other opponents, and what are his strengths?
- He's no different, he's a good fighter. I really like his record and the fact that he's won three fights in a row. I've always wanted to go out in the UFC against good guys like him. I personally want to see what I'm capable of, so I'll be happy to go out against a fighter like him and beat him.
"It's okay to call me Ivanushka"
- After the fight with Boser, you had two fights canceled in the summer and fall. How did you cope with this downtime?
- It was a bit difficult. Our job is to prepare, and it's not easy when a fight is canceled. I fought many months ago, and the fight with Boser was canceled at first. It's very hard mentally, but we are strong guys.
- How do you feel about the fact that many Russian fighters call you Ivan Cutelaba in Russian?
- Ivan, Ivanushka is fine with me. Ion and Vanya are also okay, there is no difference. I'm okay with it.
- Your first fight was in Russia. What memories do you have of your debut in Nizhny Novgorod and your first victory?
- I have good memories. It was awesome. We had a great line-up of competitors. Every beginning always leaves bright memories.
- Do you get invited to Russia to train now? Are you interested in training wrestling in Dagestan, for example?
- The guys wrote to me: "Come, we'll arrange everything". I live in Las Vegas now. If I was living in Moldova, I might have come, but now I can't.
Bet on MMA with 1xBet"Petr Yan can still do a lot"
- Are you comfortable in Las Vegas? After all, living there is expensive.
- And when has life been easy? Everybody wants to live a better life. I'm looking for this opportunity.
- Does your family like it?
- Yes, a lot. The kids are happy, and that's the most important thing. And I am comfortable here.
- What do you think about the chances of Petr Yan who returned to the octagon to fight you in the same card this weekend?
- When I was told I would be fighting at UFC 299, I saw that amazing card, so many strong guys. I think Petr can still do a lot. He's a good guy, a good fighter and he has already proved many things. In our sport, anything can happen. Guys can lose several times in a row and then become champions again. There's nothing wrong with that.
- You have that experience of coming back with victories after a series of defeats.
In our line of work, the best doesn't always win. Several losses in a row really put pressure on your mentality. You have to be resilient and move on no matter what. It's hard these days, but we try. Your spirit has to be strong.
"Ankalaev is a family man in life, but he is a beast in the cage"
- You said that you consider Magomed Ankalaev to be the next UFC light heavyweight champion. What will make him the best fighter in this division?
- We've all seen his fights. He is a very skilled guy and a strong athlete. He has a very good coach. I trained with them and always said that he will be the champion.
- Magomed is a humble man, he speaks little but to the point. What is he like in life outside the octagon?
- He is a regular guy, like many of us. Like they say, on the street I'm an ordinary guy, a family man, but a beast in the cage. So is Magomed. He's a good guy.
- Who has a better chance of winning a title fight between Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill?
- I want Hill to win. I know him, we've been training in the same gym for a few months. I think he should win, and I want it to happen.
- What's his wrestling situation? Is he capable of beating Pereira in the standup?
- First of all, he's bigger and weight makes a big difference. Also, he's faster, has good speed. I think he'll give Pereira some trouble in the standup.
"Nemkov can be successful in the heavyweight division as well"
- What do you think about Vadim Nemkov's heavyweight debut? Has he adapted to the new weight class?
- Of course, he can be successful in the heavyweights as well. Moving from 93 kg to the heavyweights sometimes feels great. You still have speed, but you gain strength. I think he is going to show fantastic fights.
- Would you like to see such a fighter come to the UFC and test his skills against the best fighters in the world?
- Of course, it's always interesting to see something like that.
- Your look has changed. You used to paint your hair and body green like Hulk, but now you don't do it anymore. Should we expect a surprise before the fight with Lins?
- We'll see. If there is a surprise, I can't say much.
- What goals do you have in the coming year in the UFC?
- I'm training as much as I can, I expect more. I want to have three fights in 2024, win them and in 2025 I will do something new.
