Roman Faraldo has a reputation as a finisher, but it’s not something he’s trying to force — a lessen the Bellator 288 fighter failed to heed last time out.
“I can say there’s been fights where I’ve let it come to me. I’d say my last fight, a big reason why I wasn’t happy with my performance was because I was forcing it, and trying to get the KO instead of just letting the fight come to me and allowing my talents just to do what they do,” Faraldo told Cageside Press during Wednesday’s Bellator 288 media day.
Faraldo (8-0) has never been to a decision, and has two flying knee knockouts under the Bellator banner. So when it comes to looking for the finish, or letting it come to him, “It’s bit of a mix,” he continued. “But going into this fight, I definitely have a much clearer head. I’m glad that I got to experience that and go through that in my last fight, and I’m just going to go out here and do what I do every day, and let the work that I’ve put in speak for itself.”
At Bellator 288 on Friday, Faraldo has a main card placement at long last. The welterweight is now looking at going on a run in 2023, targeting ranked opponents.
“100%, 100%. I’m at the top of the heap, and I’m going to work my way down. We’ll get through this guy, we’ll focus on one thing at a time. We’ll get through this guy, and obviously we’ve got an exciting 2023 coming up. Hopefully by the end of the year, we’ve either got a title fight coming, or at least in contention.”
“This guy,” however, is the formidable Georgian Levan Chokheli. Who Faraldo admits is his toughest test to date — in Bellator, anyway.
“Yeah, I mean as far as Bellator goes,” said Faraldo, before singling out his toughest opponent ever. “I’d say probably my toughest test to date, I’ll give him the credit, Dilano Taylor in my pro debut, and he’s getting ready to fight in PFL for the belt and that million dollar prize. But beyond that, in Bellator, Levan’s definitely I guess the most dangerous fighter that I’ve come to face yet.”
Watch the full Bellator 288 virtual media day appearance from Roman Faraldo above. Faraldo faces Levan Chokheli this Friday, November 18, 2022 in Chicago, IL.
