RIO DE JANEIRO – Ihor Potieria is aware of he’s combating somebody that’s within the MMA historical past books.
The UFC rookie is taking up one of the revered and legendary names nonetheless lively in MMA – Mauricio Rua. Potieria (18-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) is scheduled to tackle ‘Shogun’ (27-13-1 MMA, 11-11-1 UFC) within the ultimate preliminary bout of UFC 283 on Saturday evening in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It’s Rua’s retirement struggle from MMA.
Potieria admitted at Wednesday’s media day that he was in disbelief when he acquired the decision to struggle a dwelling legend, it took him some time to course of the concept.
“I used to be really sleeping and my supervisor Ali Abdelaziz referred to as me and stated, ‘You’re combating ‘Shogun,”” Potieria stated recalling the second he came upon he was combating the Brazilian. “I used to be form of sleeping nonetheless and stated, ‘Wait, who’s that?,’ after which as soon as I got here to it, I noticed, ‘No approach God gave me such an opportunity to struggle such a legend.’”
Potieria, 26, has been watching Rua struggle since he was a younger teenager. He’s very grateful to get the chance to share the cage with a former UFC champion and Satisfaction FC star. He as soon as joked about probably combating ‘Shogun’ when he was younger and he suppose it’s loopy that got here to fruition.
“I used to be 16 years outdated after I began coaching and perhaps after like a month of coaching, I noticed a video on YouTube that stated, ‘Essentially the most harmful fighter on this planet,’ and it stated ‘Shogun’ Rua,” Potieria stated. “I used to be messing with my boys and I stated perhaps in the future I’ll struggle him. And so they had been like, ‘Yeah, proper. You’ve been coaching for 4 months. Decelerate.’
“However finally, with the suitable coaching and in the event you hold going, you create these alternatives for your self. With God’s assist and with the suitable vitality, it’s me now who has to struggle him on Saturday, and I’m very comfortable for this opportunity.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 283.
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