With a full camp for this fight, Adam Fugitt is ready to show his true form.
Fugitt (8-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) replaced Ramiz Brahimaj to face Michael Morales on short notice in his promotional debut last July at UFC 277. Although he lost by TKO, he’s grateful for the opportunity.
Fugitt will now get a second chance in the octagon when he meets Yusaku Kinoshita (6-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 218 main card opener at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+.
“Nine days’ notice, I know what I’m capable of, and that wasn’t totally it,” Fugitt told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “That was a version of it and a part of it. To come in here with everything now, I have had plenty of time to repair. I’ve got no excuses. As far as what I went in there with and what I delivered, I’m fine with it. It got me this next opportunity, and that’s what it’s about. I’m so thankful for the fight camp and the extra notice to give me the time to put everything I have into this opportunity.”
He continued, “If they’re judging me off of nine days’ notice, I can’t wait to jump in there. I like proving people wrong. Not just the bettors and the betting odds, but I like proving doubters wrong as well, so I’ll hop in there, and I’ll show them this is what I could do with the time and preparation.”
Fugitt takes on 22-year-old Japanese prospect Kinoshita, who has finished all his wins – including his UFC contract-winning stoppage of Jose Henrique Souza on Dana White’s Contender Series.
“He’s got a lot of talent,” Fugitt said of Kinoshita. “But what I see is somebody that’s kind of still figuring his game out, still completing his game. I don’t think he’s done growing by any means.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 218.
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