Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) newcomer Brian Kelleher isn’t afraid of getting in the trenches right away.
Kelleher is set to make his UFC debut inside the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He’s scheduled to face Iuri Alcantara on June 3 on the preliminary portion of UFC 212.
In a recent interview with Flo Combat, “Boom” said he’s glad he gets to face a top 15 ranked fighter in his debut for the largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion in the world:
“I think this is the best opportunity I could’ve gotten to be honest. I’m fighting No. [13] in the world, so I’m going in there to take his spot. That’s what I wanted. I’m 30 years old. I want the fast-track. I want to be the Donald Cerrone of the bantamweight division and stay active and make my way to the top.”
While it’s easy for a UFC first-timer to get caught up in the moment, Kelleher insists that he’s prepared for Alcantara.
“My focus is all on Iuri. He’s a really tough guy, he’s well-rounded, he has a lot of UFC fights and experience, and he’s coming off two wins. But that just motivates me to try to finish this guy.”
