Filipino-American mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Ricky Turcios is making his way back to the UFC Octagon as he battles promotion veteran Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Fight Night: Dos Anjos vs. Fiziev on Sunday (Philippine time) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Turcios is fighting for the first time since beating Brady Hiestand to win The Ultimate Fighter 29 bantamweight tournament last year.
However, the 29-year-old former Fury FC bantamweight champion is up to the test against Zahabi, who has already fought four times at UFC, most recently a knockout win against Drako Rodriguez, making this Turcios' first acid test as a permanent member of the UFC roster.
Turcios, currently holding an 11-2 record, vowed that he will prove that his TUF win is not a fluke against the 8-2 Zahabi.
"Entering into this battle on [Sunday], I'm ready to fight, and I come here with one goal: to get the victory. I'll leave the Octagon safe with my hands raised," Turcios said.
He vowed that he will stay consistent with his style of play and even try to force Zahabi to imitate his gameplay to get the victory.
Turcios said he also wants to show that the so-called "cage rust" is just a myth even if he has been on the sidelines for almost a year already.
"I believe for sure that the proverbial ring rust is just a fantasy word," the Houston native said.
He added that he has been continuing his training despite the long layoff and has even begun looking at his nutrition as well.
"I've been even learning new tricks on nutrition and the supplements. Shoutouts to the boys at the UFC Performance Institute for teaching me," Turcios said.
He said he is doing a training regimen similar to those of triathletes for his cardio.
"I always keep up with my running, cycling, and swimming," Turcios said. "I love triathlon training. That's one of my favorite ways to stay in shape."
He said he is looking to join a triathlon one day "just for recreation and everything."
UFC Fight Night: Dos Anjos vs. Fiziev will be shown live at 10 a.m. Sunday on Premier Sports on SkyCable and Cignal and can be streamed live on the TapGo app.
Source: Philippines News Agency
