On June 22, at the UFC on ABC 6 event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Russian fighter Sharabutdin Magomedov, known as Shara Bullet, will fight against Brazilian-born German Joilton Lütterbach, also known as "Sub-Zero."
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In an exclusive interview with Telecomasia.net, Magomedov:
- spoke about the significance of his upcoming fight against Joilton Lutterbach;
- admitted to expecting a frozen encounter with his opponent;
- revealed offers he’s received from the UFC;
- announced his participation in a movie shoot;
- wished Ikram Aliskerov success against Robert Whittaker.
"We’ll be working toward victory"
— Shara, is the goal in the upcoming fight not just to win but to get a fast and impressive win?
— I wouldn't say it's about speed. I try to distance myself from the desire to end fights quickly. I want to go out there and demonstrate what I'm capable of. I want to show the hard work put in during training. Of course, I'd like to finish the fight quickly, head home, and make my loved ones proud. But we'll approach this nerve-wracking moment patiently. We'll be working toward victory.
— Is the fight with "Sub-Zero" a breath of fresh air for a fight in hot Saudi Arabia?
— Indeed, I myself am waiting for that freezing moment.
— What's the likelihood of your victory via submission?
— Chances are it won't happen, 99 percent.
"We’ll address the monkey matter later"
— Do you want to face your opponent in a staredown wearing a pirate hat and with a parrot on your shoulder?
— Not a parrot. I wanted to bring out a tiny monkey, a very little one (shows about 10 cm with his fingers). But I'm not allowed to fly with it, I need special permits. I'll have a pirate bandana instead of a hat. We'll address the monkey matter later.
— Would you find it more intriguing to test your skills against Lutterbach or Ihor Potieria?
— Lutterbach. There's more of a sports challenge there. He's a very experienced guy. He fought in Glory. He only has 50 professional MMA fights. 20 kickboxing fights, and numerous boxing, karate, and so forth. He has achieved great heights in sports and made it into the UFC. He is a champion in Brave. It would be a competitive contest. I’d like to fight him more.
— Are you satisfied with the number of fight offers that come from the UFC?
— Yes. There's no issue with that. I wanted to fight in Saudi Arabia on March 2. The tournament got postponed. I don't know the reasons. I had to wait because my American visa wasn't ready. Later, I got the visa, and there was an offer to fight in the U.S. in June against famous fighters. But my team and I decided to stay on the Arabian card because the preparation after Ramadan wasn't evenly paced. The audience expects a spectacular fight from me, so I want to perform well without acclimatization issues. I needed to arrive in the U.S. two to three weeks early. That didn't happen. So I stayed on the current card and got Lutterbach. This motivates me because I was supposed to fight him even before the UFC. There was one chance, but it didn't come true.
"I want to fight on and on"
— How long will your visa be valid?
— I have a work visa. It's valid for a year, it’s paid for by a film company. Right after the fight, I have to fly to Los Angeles to film a movie. Then, maybe I'll fight there, or on August 3 in Abu Dhabi, August 18 in Australia, and again in Abu Dhabi in October. I want to fight on and on. Right now, I need to focus, then fight, and recover. And then I'll be able to fight again. No promises though.
— Was the fight with Bruno Silva different for you compared to the bouts you had in Russia?
— In terms of intensity and pressure from all sides, it was very different. Many people were saying many things. I wanted to shut them up and show what I'm capable of.
— Who was the toughest opponent in your career?
I don't even know who to single out. They were all tough. There were no easy ones. Everyone poses some kind of danger. No one should be underestimated. It all depends on how well you manage to neutralize their strengths and showcase your best qualities.
“I hope Aliskerov is ready for Whittaker”
— Are you ready to go up against Ikram Aliskerov or Khamzat Chimaev?
— I’m not sure. If something significant is at stake, satisfying both me and him, and we want to spend 15 minutes in the cage.
— What are the chances of Ikram Aliskerov winning against Robert Whittaker?
— I hope Ikram wins. Chances? They are hard to predict. Many factors are at play. There’s heat, there’s acclimatization factor. Aliskerov prepared for one opponent but got another in terms of size and other parameters. Let's hope he's prepared enough.
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