Light heavyweight Navajo Stirling knows he’s still green in the fight game, which makes him thankful for the cage time he’s had in the UFC thus far.
Returning at UFC Perth this weekend where he faces Rodolfo Bellato, the New Zealand native is now looking to get back to some fast finishes. He touched on that this week, as well as Bellato’s infamous No Contest against Paul Craig, which had many accusing him of flopping and playing up an injury.
“It’s time to give the fans what they want, and that’s knockouts. And I’m gunning for it. I’m coming for the bonus,” Stirling (7-0) said during UFC Perth’s media day. “I know my teammates are as well, but f*ck that. I’m coming for it bro. They’re going to have to fight me for that bonus; I’m f*cking gunning for it. I’m coming for the knockout, and knocking the bro out for real. No more acting, this is going to be some real sh*t.”
Stirling also addressed being an inspiration to Moari youth at home. “In my country, a lot of young Maori are quite, it’s like, there’s not much to do. They all end up joining gangs and going down the wrong path.”
“I feel like fighting is just a way for these males to really hone in on their masculinity, and give their life purpose. I feel like if I can show the young Kiwis back home that this is a career path, for some of those that need to deal with all their aggression, then I feel that I’m doing it right now for my country.”
“I’m just trying to show them that it’s possible,” he added. Stirling recalled being a teen of 15 and being jumped by fully grown men, “gangsters actually.”
“That was a pivotal moment for me, going from there to realizing that my life is worth something. And here we are.”
Watch the full UFC Perth media day appearance by Navajo Stirling above.
