Hear Ramiz Brahimaj defend teammate Belal Muhammad after title loss
UFC on ESPN 68’s Ramiz Brahimaj spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters at media day for his welterweight bout vs. Billy Ray Goff on Saturday in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS – Ramiz Brahimaj is keeping the same confident mindset despite the uncertainty just days before UFC on ESPN 68 fight week.
Brahimaj (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) was planning on a showdown against Oban Elliott, but due to visa issues, the matchup was scratched days before the event. Brahimaj drew Billy Ray Goff as a short-notice replacement for the main card bout at UFC Apex.
“It didn’t matter who it was, I said yes immediately, before I even knew who I was going to fight,” Brahimaj said at media day. “… I think around 3:30 (last) Friday we found out that our opponent pulled out and I was like, ‘Hey man, listen: I’ma go get a workout in right now. (I’ll say) Yes. It don’t matter who it is. Let’s just do it.’
“I’m not here for a long time, right? I’m here for a good time, and let’s have a good time next Saturday. As soon as the name came through, we already said yes, and just signed the contract, and that’s it.”
Since 2018, Brahimaj has traded wins and losses. He looks to buck that trend with a win over Goff (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC), to keep the momentum alive after a first-round knockout of Mickey Gall in November.
“Several different ways that I could go about this,” Brahimaj said. “A lot things that I was already working on in training camp, so like I said, it just happened to be intertwined correctly. It’s just my moment. May 31, this Saturday, is just my moment. I could win by submission, decision, knockout – whatever it’s gonna be, I just have a dominating mindset right now.”
Brahimaj, 32, may have said a decision win is an option, but the reality is, every win in his professional career has come no later than Round 2 – and that was just one fight. Ten of his 11 victories have come by first-round stoppage. He aims to use his self-described “sometimes chaotic as sh*t” fighting style to make a statement Saturday.
“I want to put a stamp on it,” Brahimaj said. “I always do. Anytime I come into this octagon, I want to do that. I have the mindset of I’m fighting for my job every single time. I could be on a 10-fight win streak. I could win the belt, and I’m fighting for my job every single time.”
UFC,UFC
