ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – [autotag]Jamall Emmers[/autotag] thinks opposites will attract when he clashes with Nate Landwehr on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 54.
Emmers (20-7 MMA, 3-3 UFC) is set to take on one of the featherweight division’s most entertaining fighters in Landwehr (17-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) in a main-card matchup at Boardwalk Hall (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+), and he thinks it has the ingredients for fireworks.
“This is a guy that I need on my record,” Emmers told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s media day. “I need to get this W to further my career. Tough, exciting fighter and a fan favorite. I need one of these guys to push myself forward. This is what I’m here for. To entertain and put on exciting fights. He’s going to be a great dance partner for me to put on an exciting fight. I’m excited about the fight, just like the fans are.”
Emmers, 34, has experienced mixed success so far in his UFC career. He has alternated wins and losses over his six-fight tenure with the promotion, but after scoring a 49-second knockout of Dennis Buzukja in his most recent bout at UFC 295 in November, he hopes this is the start of a streak.
He knows it won’t be easy against Landwehr, 35, but anticipates the style matchup will give him plenty of opportunities to find the win.
“He’s a tough guy – I’ve seen him get dropped and come back,” Emmers said. “I’ve just got to be smart about it. I know he gets hit and wakes up, so I’ve got to pick my shots and be smart with how I’m going to finish him. He’s like the opposite of me. He’s a wild guy. Very animated. I think that’s just going to make a good fight, two opposites going at it.”
[lawrence-related id=2727962,2727897,2727718]
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.