Las Vegas, NV – UFC middleweight Albert Duraev has a tough task ahead of him at UFC Vegas 77 when he meets Junyong Park on Saturday night at the UFC APEX.
“I know that I have a tough opponent. I’m going to do whatever I can do to finish him,” Duraev told reporters through a translator on Wednesday.
“I know he doesn’t show too many exciting fights the way he is, his style is a little different, but we prepared very hard for him. Made sure we know how to fix that problem, how to make sure that the fight is still exciting, I’ve changed a lot in my training.”
The fight was previously set to be the co-main event on Saturday, but was then bumped by the Jack Della Maddalena vs. Bassil Hafez bout.
“Hopefully after this fight next time, in the APEX, the UFC will give me somebody with a big name and give me a five-rounder,” he said.
Duraev doesn’t really care where he fights, but what he really wants is a top 10 opponent to help propel him towards the top of the rankings.
“To be honest I don’t care if it’s going to be at T-Mobile Arena next time or at the APEX,” he said.
“What I’m more concerned about is that I’m going to get a big name, somebody from the top 10, somebody like let’s say Jack Hermansson or somebody else. That’s what’s more important.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Albert Duraev above. He takes on Junyong Park at UFC Vegas 77 on Saturday night from the UFC APEX.
