UFC Vegas 56: Ode Osbourne Isn’t Letting Main Card Spot Get To His Head

Las Vegas, NV — Ode Osbourne will not let him being on the UFC Vegas 56 main card distract him.

Jamaica’s Osbourne returns to action this Saturday for the first time in 2022, and he finds himself bumped up to the main card. While he believes it is an honor to fight on the main card, he isn’t letting it get to his head because the last time he was on the main card, he wound up submitted in less than three minutes.

“Well, for me personally, I think that is an honor to be on the main card, but I can’t let it get above [everything], you know what I mean? I can’t put it up here [Osbourne reaching high] Because then once you do that, and once you put it up here, that kind of the goal kind of slips away,” Osbourne told Cageside Press at the UFC Vegas 56 media day this week. “I remember that happening when I fought on the Conor McGregor card when he fought Donald Cerrone. I got bumped to the main card, and I was like, ‘Oh man, and I made it this big thing, and I lost track of what was truly important, which was winning the fight. So, you know, I love being on the main card, and it’s gonna give me a lot of exposure, but I also have to keep the face and be aware of me and myself.”

This will be Osbourne’s second fight as a full-time fighter and training at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas. Before his fight at UFC 268, he quit his job as a teacher and left Milwaukee to embrace the fight life in Vegas full time. It worked; however, leaving his students hurt.

“So, first of all, quitting my job hurt. Oh, man, that was a tough one for me. Because if you know me, I love kids. Kids are my passion. Kids are the future. And like I said before, you know, in order to apply the oxygen mask to the kids, I have to show them what sacrifice looks like in order to obtain your destiny,” Osbourne said. “But it feels amazing when I tell you that I’ve had time to myself to kind of reflect and build mentally and physically especially being at Syndicate, where the environment is just amazing. John Wood is such an amazing coach, he’s ugly, but he’s an amazing coach.”

The 30-year-old wants to make his mark on the sport of MMA with his positivity.

“You know, ego aside, I always want to be — there’s all these Sean Strickland’s and Conor McGregor’s and Colby Covington’s, which is good for the sport, great for the sport. But sometimes the sport needs more Jamaican Irenaeus. Some good people to spread some positivity and some love, and I know that gets annoying because people want the drama, but you know, I’m here to bring something new to the UFC,” Osbourne said. “I think people will hopefully— if they don’t like it, then to hell with them. I’m here for the people that want positive vibes. I’m here to spread that peace, love, and positivity. That’s what the world is. There’s so much war going on right now. There’s not enough of love and peace and positivity.”

Watch the rest of Ode Osbourne’s UFC Vegas 56 media day interview above. Osbourne faces Zarrukh Adashev at the event this Saturday, June 4, 2022 at the Apex in Las Vegas. More coverage can be found below.