Enrique Barzola moved on in the bantamweight grand prix at Bellator 278 on Friday, winning a wild card fight over Fedor Team’s Nikita Mikhailov.
Mikhailov was a short-notice fill-in, stepping up in place of Josh Hill, who was forced out due to injury. The game plan never really changed for Barzola (18-5-2) however.
“My plan is the same always, because my conditioning is, for me, is the best in all fighting in this division,” the former UFC standout and Ultimate Fighter winner told media outlets including Cageside Press on Friday, after the win. “I believe in my cardio, I believe in my conditioning, I believe in my team. Because my team told me ‘your cardio is amazing.’ Okay, I believe these words. And for this [reason], I always attack with pressure, pressure, pressure. My wrestling is good.”
Because of the nature of Friday’s grand prix wild card bout, Enrique Barzola now knows exactly when, where, and who he will be fighting next. The fight will come on June 24, 2022 in Uncasville, Connecticut, against Magomed Magomedov.
Barzola had a message for his quarter-final foe ahead of the fight.
Saying that the Russian was “no problem for me,” Barolza added “I want to say, Magomed, be careful, bro. Because my conditioning and my cardio is good. My mental [game], my spirit, my soul is nice. But be careful, Magomed. Get your ass to work!”
Watch the full Bellator 278 post-fight press conference appearance from Enrique Barzola above.
