ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP
Femi Solaja
As the Ultimate Fighting Championship continues to gain popularity in the country, Nigeria’s Sodiq Yusuff, has urged followers of the combat sport to stand with him as he square up against Gabriel Benitez tomorrow in California, USA.
The bout listed as ninth undercard before the main bout will be live on DSTv at about 3am (early hours on Sunday 17th August, 2019) at the Honda Centre, Anaheim, California, USA.
Ahead of the bout, Yusuff in a telephone interview with THISDAY on Wednesday assured his fans that he will not let the nation down as he continues his determination to be the World Champion of UFC in the Featherweight category.
“My family and fans in Nigeria are looking up to me to attain greatness in this sport and I won’t want to let them down. Aside my immediate family, Nigerians would be glad if I come out top against my opponent this weekend.
“I want to emulate my fellow compatriot Kamaru Usman who recently emerged as the champion of the Welterweight category.
“The more Nigerians continue to hit the summit in the sport, the better for fellow country men to embrace the game either to follow it passionately or discover their hidden talent in the game,” he remarked from his base in America.
The Lagos State born fighter who was 26 years old last May, on record has won nine out of his 10 bouts losing only to Luiz Gomez on December 15th, 2017 while his last win was against Sheymon Moraes in March this year.
The Nigerian will come up against a more experienced Mexican whose record stands at 21 wins and six defeats and is 31 years of age.
“I’m not scared of his record and considering my preparations for this bout, I have a strong belief that I will come out top and make millions of Nigerians celebrate my feat at the end of the day.
“My fellow countrymen will be all behind me here at the ring side and their morale supports will ginger me to reach my goal at the end of the day,” he commented.
In all, there will be 12 under cards before the main bout between Daniel Cormier and fellow American, Stipe Miocic in the heavyweight category.
All the bouts will be live on SuperSports in the early hours of Sunday for Nigeria audience.
