“Glad to be back, I’m glad to have a fast turnaround,” featherweight Josh Emmett told media members at the UFC Jacksonville media day on Wednesday.
A quick turnaround might be the key for Emmett in this case. The Team Alpha Male fighter is coming off a loss to Yair Rodriguez for an interim 145lb title back in February. Had he secured the win there, it would have been on to a title unification bout with Alexander Volkanovski.
Instead, it’s Rodriguez facing the Australian champ during International Fight Week this July. Emmett, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back against Ilia Topuria — with a win leaving the victor well towards the front of the line.
“I’ve always wanted to just say as consistent as possible, just because this is my career, this is my livelihood. I want to get back in there,” Emmett said on that front. “I’m still ranked fifth in the world, I’m fighting a tough opponent, so I just have to go out there, make a statement, and I’m right back in title contention and talk. Consistency is key, and here we are. I’m turning around, fighting four months later, and couldn’t be happier about it.”
Like Topuria, Emmett is feeling as if a win this Saturday could very well land him the title fight.
“Yeah 100%. The only reason why I’m doing this is I want to be a world champion. Before I got in the UFC, I only wanted to fight for the UFC, and I wanted to be a world champion. And that’s dating back to over a decade ago, and here we are. I have to go out there, I’m solely focused on a tough, tough Ilia and then I’m right back in the mix.”
And, Emett pointed out, you never know what will happen with the division and injuries. “I could be one away from a title shot, or hey maybe slide right into that title fight, you never know. But I have to beat him [Topuria] first.”
Watch the full UFC Jacksonville media day appearance by Josh Emmett above.
