LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Sodiq Yusuff[/autotag] recognizes the moment is elevated, but he feels ready for it.
At UFC Fight Night 230 on Saturday, Yusuff (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) will headline for the first time in the promotion when he takes on Edson Barboza (23-11 MMA, 17-11 UFC) at the UFC Apex.
“It feels natural,” Yusuff told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “When I first got it, it was a little bit surreal. But the closer and closer I got, this is like this is the destined path. I feel like I’ve spent enough time here and I’ve gotten enough eyeballs on me to where the company feels like I deserve it. When Saturday comes, you’ve just got to go out there and put on a good show so they give you another one.”
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To fight an established veteran with widespread notoriety, Yusuff is honored by the matchup but focused on the task at hand. Barboza has 28 UFC fights under his belt and a highlight reel most combatants could only dream of.
“They originally gave me that name for Abu Dhabi, but I couldn’t make it because of passport problems,” Yusuff said. “So I thought it was an opportunity that I already missed. So when they brought it back around, it was a yes, definitely. Edson is a legend. That’s a name I’d love to have under my resume.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 230.