Jack Hermansson is taking the kind of gamble that can redefine a career. This Saturday at UFC Qatar, the longtime middleweight contender makes his drop to welterweight for the first time, stepping into a new division, and a dangerous matchup, against surging prospect Myktybek Orolbai.
For Hermansson (24-9) , it’s not just about reinventing himself, it’s about proving that, even after years among the elite at 185 pounds, he’s far from finished chasing big moments inside the Octagon.
“It’s going well now. It’s been a learning process during the camp. I’ve never been in a calorie restriction while training before,” Hermansson told reporters on Wednesday.
“So it’s very different for me. I’m used to eating as much as I can and struggling to eat enough. This time I need to cut down, and obviously gives you another feeling in the body and different challenges. I’ve learned a lot during this camp, but the weight has been going down. I feel good now.”
“I don’t know if it made me more hungry, but I feel like somebody has to pay,” Hermansson said laughing.
“Because I’ve suffered. Nah this is just business for me as usual. I’m always super motivated. I’m not one of these guys where the motivation goes up and down. I love this game, I love fighting, I’m always motivated and I want to do as best as I can in this sport.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Jack Hermansson above. He takes on Mytybek Orolbai at UFC Qatar on Saturday.
