Mousasi happy to be part of UFC Fight Night Manila

Nissi Icasiano

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Mousasi happy to be part of UFC Fight Night Manila
Facing what he calls a must-win situation, Gegard Mousasi says he's excited to fight in the Philippines and know more about the country's culture

 

MANILA, Philippines – Middleweight contender Gegard Mousasi predicts an exciting encounter against Costas Philippou at the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first Philippine live event numbered as “Fight Night 66” on May 16.

Mousasi (36-5-2), a two-division world champion, has won 3 of his last 5 Octagon appearances since joining the UFC two years ago, defeating the likes of Ilir Latifi, Mark Muñoz and Dan Henderson.

Following his third-round submission loss to current No.1-ranked middleweight Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in September 2014, the 29-year-old “Dreamcatcher” rebounded with an upset triumph by routing Henderson in just 70 seconds via technical knockout this past January.

“I’m doing great. I’m already in the second half of my training camp, but I feel like I’m ready to fight,” Mousasi said of his preparation.

On the other hand, Philippou (13-4, 1 NC) was last seen in action when he knocked out Lorenz Larkin in round one to snap his two-fight losing skid in May 2014.

The news is out. I am fighting Constantine Phillipou at UFC Philippines. Let’s go!

Posted by Gegard Mousasi on Monday, March 2, 2015

The 35-year-old Philippou was originally penciled to face Uriah Hall in a rematch three months ago, but he was compelled to pull out of the bout after suffering a rib injury.

Mousasi, who currently occupies the No.7 seat in the official UFC middleweight rankings, believes that a victory over Philippou could position him a step closer to a title shot.

“I want to get three fights this year. I think it will get me closer to a title shot,” he stressed.

Philippou was once regarded as a highly-touted prospect at the 185-pound weight class as he scored victories over the likes of Jorge Rivera, Jared Hamman, Court McGee, Riki Fukuda and Tim Boetsch.

The Dutch-Armenian pointed out that the heavy-handed Philippou is a dangerous fighter who can offer a thrilling contest as he won seven of his 18 professional outings by knockout, with five ending in the first round.

“Of course, he’s a tough guy. He’s a good boxer and he is heavy-handed,” Mousasi shared about his opponent.

Meanwhile, 19 of Mousasi’s 36 wins have come by way of knockout, and he finished 12 cage counterparts via submission.

With the stakes up for grabs in his match-up with Philippou, Mousasi asserted it is important to take home the victory because a defeat could lure him back to square one, especially his Cypriot-Greek foe is placed at No.12 in the middleweight standing.

“I have a lot to lose, especially a guy against him. Maybe he’s not in the top ten or top five. If I lose, I would fall behind the title race. It’s a must-win fight for me,” he noted.

As for his fearless forecast, Mousasi would like to finish the bout by either knockout or submission to secure his stature in the title picture.

“I plan to go for the finish. I want to have an impressive win,” he quipped.

Mousasi expressed his exuberance in taking part of UFC’s maiden trip to the country because the Asian culture is close to his heart.

The 6-foot-1 combatant competed in different Asian mixed martial arts organizations throughout his 12-year career such as PRIDE, DEEP, K-1 and DREAM.

“It will be the first time for me to come to the Philippines. I heard a lot of good stories about the Philippines, and being in the first UFC event there and knowing the Asian culture, it’s exciting to get there,” Mousasi mentioned. – Rappler.com

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