UFC lightweight Nasrat Haqparast wanted a top 15 matchup, didn’t get one, but did get the ever violent Esteban Ribovics at UFC Vegas 103 on Saturday night.
“I asked for a top 15 guy, then my manager sent me his name, and I got really excited,” Haqparast told reporters on Wednesday.
“He’s the same generation as me, and I think this is the future top 15. So many guys are above 36 in the top 15, and we are the next breed.”
Haqparast (17-5) may be part of the new generation of lightweights, but he’s not new to the UFC.
“I’m kind of a veteran. 14 UFC fights, this is my 8th year in the UFC, I signed when I was very young. Excites me a lot. This matchup is very violent. I look forward to Saturday and I can say the same about Esteban. I like him,” he said.
“He seems like a respectful person, he’s a hard worker, he’s talented, but Saturday we’re going to throw some bombs.”
The bout gives the feeling of two gentlemen who knows they’re about go to war, but still keep is proper.
“I like less talking and more performing. You see so many hype jobs. Look at my UFC career. It’s my eighth year. I fought so many good guys. It’s not my personality to speak trash talk,” he said.
“Yes they are maybe hyped for a year or two years. Then they disappear like popcorn. This sport it’s about consistency. Not about who creates the most hype in the first or second year. We don’t need to talk. We know how hard this sport is. Hype is good for the numbers, for the UFC, but I think you have to follow your personality and not change anything.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Nasrat Haqparast above. He takes on Esteban Ribovics at UFC Vegas 103 on Saturday night.
