Bassil Hafez thinks Mickey Gall has been given the “straightforward” path in his MMA profession, and admits that fuels him with motivation going into their UFC 302 matchup.
Hafez (8-4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will tackle Gall (7-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) in a welterweight bout on the June 1 card at Prudential Heart in Newark, N.J. (pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN). Will probably be Hafez’s sophomore look with the promotion after he pushed title contender Jack Della Maddalena to a break up choice loss in his short-notice debut at UFC on ESPN 49 in July.
The contrasts between Hafez and Gall’s path to the octagon is stark. They made their skilled debuts lower than two months other than each other, but it surely solely took Gall one combat to make the UFC as he put himself within the notorious CM Punk sweepstakes in 2016 when the skilled wrestling star transitioned to MMA.
Gall has been preventing within the UFC ever since, whereas Hafez competed 12 instances earlier than getting the decision for a short-notice alternative.
“He’s personally somebody I actually wish to beat the sh*t out of,” Hafez informed MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m somewhat bit – not envious – however his path was loads simpler. My path was loads more durable. He’s a tricky fighter. Everybody within the UFC is a tricky fighter. However there’s going to be guys which are simpler than others to face. I simply confronted who I feel is the most effective, if not probably the greatest fighters in my division. That’s a feather in my cap that he couldn’t knock me out. It offers me confidence to go in there and actually be prepared for battle.
“Whether or not it’s on the bottom, whether or not it’s wrestling or hanging – I’m excited to check myself towards Mickey and present that I’m the a lot better fighter than him, and I need to be there greater than him. That’s my purpose is to make it unanimous. Make it a dominant victory.”
Hafez, 32, proved he’s UFC caliber in his debut when he surpassed expectations by almost beating Della Maddalena, who’s No. 7 within the newest USA TODAY Sports activities/MMA Junkie welterweight rankings. With a full camp and added confidence beneath his belt, he promised his efficiency will likely be “evening and day” from the primary time round.
He thinks the matchup with Gall is effectively suited to him, too, primarily as a result of it’s not the primary time they’ve met in a aggressive setting.
Hafez mentioned he defeated Gall in a grappling match greater than a decade in the past, and he intends to do it once more in MMA.
“I don’t actually have a look at him as a tough fighter,” Hafez mentioned. “I have a look at him as a fighter with loads of holes in his sport that I’m seeking to expose. General, he has good grappling. I feel his wrestling is OK. His hanging is OK. I really beat him in a Grappler’s Quest bout about 11 years in the past for the Absolute Championship belt. I acquired the image of me with belt and him standing there in second place sulking. So I really feel way more assured in my grappling versus his. I really feel that I’m higher than him all over the place.”
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