Saturday’s contest is a step up in competition for the 27-year-old Spivac, and the kind of pairing that could propel him into the Top 15 if he were to come away with a third consecutive victory.
“Aleksei is really a very experienced, persistent fighter,” said Spivac, who fought on the same card as his opponent earlier in the year, kicking off the show with his second-round stoppage win over Vanderaa before Oleinik fell to Chris Daukaus midway through the main card.
By all measures, this weekend’s contest is a crucial point in the career development of the emerging heavyweight — a matchup with a tenured, seasoned veteran, higher on the fight card than he’s ever competed before, with the potential to bust into the rankings if he’s able to extend his winning streak to three and hand Oleinik a third consecutive setback.
Despite the obvious divisional ramifications and future opportunities a victory could unlock, Spivac remains steadfast in his quest to keep things as simple as possible, focusing exclusively on the task at hand and not worrying about anything other than handling his business inside the Octagon this weekend.
“It won’t mean anything,” he said when asked what beating a veteran like Oleinik would mean to him at this point in his career. “All the best guys are gathered in this one organization, so I don’t think about that; I just focus on walking in in the right condition and with a good attitude.”
