UFC 275’s main card hosts some of the promotion’s most entertaining talent, including two title fights and a rematch for the ages. The event’s magnitude is an opportunity for Emeev to boost his following as he continues his UFC career, and with his eyes set on the Top 15 and the UFC welterweight title, a dominant win can kickstart his journey to the top.
“Hype is great in this time that we’re living in now because hype decides how many people are going to talk about you, hype decides what the size of your purse is, hype decides who’s going to be your next opponent, so to be on a card with such hype behind it is great for everyone, especially for me,” Emeev said.
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Before entering the UFC, Emeev was 15-3, boasting a 73% finishing rate, but the last time he was able to get his opponent out of the fight early was back in April 2016.
After defeating David Zawada at UFC on ABC: Holloway vs Kattar in January of 2021, Emeev discussed his concerns about his recent performances during the post-fight press conference, highlighting his lack of finishes since entering UFC.
UFC 275 EMBEDDED: Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5
Vowing to be more entertaining in future fights, Emeev returned to the Octagon nine months later, facing Danny Roberts. Despite a hard-fought contest, Emeev lost by split decision, lighting a fire under the Russian welterweight, who gave it his all in his preparation for Della Maddalena in order to put on an impressive performance.
Entering the Octagon on Saturday, there’s one thing on Emeev’s mind: to win. If an opportunity to close the show early presents itself, however, Emeev wants to make the most of that chance and get back to his finishing ways.
“As a fighter, you should always prepare and be ready to go all the rounds, but if there’s an opportunity to steal an early finish, that’s what I want to do and that’s what I’m going to try to do this time,” Emeev said.
