Seattle, WA — Light heavyweight Ibo Aslan of Turkey is set to throw down with Ion Cutelaba at UFC Seattle this weekend, and he has his eye on another upcoming fight.
That would be Alex Pereira versus Magomed Ankalaev, the 205lb title fight that headlines UFC 313 in just a few weeks.
Aslan (14-1), who shares a manager with Ankalaev, considers the Dagestani a brother, he said during Wednesday’s UFC Seattle media day. That means he’d rather not fight him, and he’s hoping something can be worked out. “We can talk to each other, he can maybe move up to heavyweight. Because I want to also have the gold belt on my waist, one time or two times or ten times, I don’t know. But I want this, I will bring the belt to Turkey. It’s my dream.”
For now, Aslan sits on a six-fight win streak with three of those victories coming inside the UFC octagon, and he’s coming off a strong fight camp. “Camp was amazing, I feel great, I am ready to go. Can’t wait for Saturday night,” he told media outlets including Cageside Press during Wednesday’s UFC Seattle media day.
Cutelaba, Aslan believes, is “a good fighter, he has a lot of fights in UFC. But to be honest I don’t care. I’m more hungry than him, and I believe in my skills. I am everywhere, better than him.”
Should the Moldovan come out aggressive on Saturday, as he’s known to do, “we are ready for everything,” Aslan added. “We have our game plan. We he comes aggressive, I am ready, when he will go back, I am ready, when he wants to shoot I am ready. I am ready for everything.”
After a year on the promotion, Ibo Aslan is happy where he is, and focused on light heavyweight gold. As he told Cageside Press, “I’m very happy to be a UFC fighter. And I want to stay here til I get [the] championship and retire from the UFC. I don’t want to fight [for] any other organizations, I love the UFC.”
Watch the full UFC Seattle media day appearance by Ibo Aslan above.
