Ion Cutelaba is set for a high-stakes co-main event this Saturday, when he faces undefeated Navajo Stirling at UFC Fight Night 279 at the Meta APEX.
Cutelaba enters the light heavyweight bout with a 20-11-1 professional record and a 9-10-1 mark in the UFC, and is coming off a submission win over Oumar Sy in March. Stirling brings a perfect 9-0 professional record and a 4-0 start in the UFC into the matchup.
Cutelaba framed the showdown as another test for an up-and-coming opponent. "You know, once in a while, I kind of feel like a college professor. We've got these young students coming in here, and I gotta see if they're gonna pass my test or not," he said.
He emphasized both his experience and evolution ahead of the fight. "... The thing is, the professor also learns and also evolves as he goes, so I'm no longer the same person that you're used to. I also have a lot of experience behind me, but I also have a lot of new skills that I've acquired as I go. So, at the moment, I can tell you that I've never felt as good and as ready as I feel right now."
Looking ahead to Saturday, Cutelaba made his intentions clear: "I can tell you one thing, I'm not going to be moving back," and added, "I don't care who's in front of me. I never pick somebody who's in front of me. I'm gonna go out there, and as they say, 'I am willing to die inside that octagon to get a victory.'"
