Athletes
Bolaji Oki | Comfortable And Ready to Climb
DWCS Grad Ready To Start Working Forward Now That He’s Settled Into Life In The UFC
Calling the process of getting acclimated to competing on the biggest stage in the sport “Octagon jitters” puts a fun, yet minimizing, twist on something that exists in every major professional sport and is a real part of advancing to the highest level in your chosen craft.
Think about the standout prospect that struggles mightily when they get their first cup of coffee in the major leagues or the rookie that was drafted high, but falters once the ball is snapped because the speed of the NFL game is so dramatically different than it was in college. We see it all the time, but when it comes to MMA fighters, it feels like there is a greater expectation that they hit the ground running as soon as they arrive in the UFC, but doing so is extremely difficult.
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“It’s been a wonderful experience,” began Bolaji Oki, the Belgian lightweight who faces Mason Jones this weekend in Paris, reflecting on the two years since he earned his UFC contract on Season 7 of Dana White’s Contender Series. “There has been ups and downs — I won my first UFC fight, I lost the second one, so I had the down, but then I went back up with the victory. I’m still learning in the sport, being comfortable in the UFC.
“I had to be comfortable in the UFC because you have more pressure; now you’re in the big leagues, there is more pressure on you, you wanna win,” continued the DWCS grad, who claimed a unanimous decision victory over Michael Aswell last time out to advance to 10-2 for his career. “I had to have those fights to get more comfortable.”
“When I lost — it was my second loss, and the first fight I lost was my first fight — so I learned to listen more to your corners and the strategy, be more patient; I was a bit wild. Now it’s ‘take your time, and if something is working, take him apart; listen to your corners and everything is gonna be fine.’ I’ve matured in my game, and every day I learn, I get better, I get stronger and stronger. I’m like a sponge, so whatever (my coaches) bring, I take it, listen, learn it, and then apply it.”
In addition to getting comfortable with the increased level of skill and the speed of how things move at the highest level, there are the secondary and tertiary pieces that most people often overlook when discussing the transition from the regional ranks to the UFC roster.
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While some of the top end promotions around the globe bring the “big league” feel of competing inside the Octagon, it’s all the “behind the scenes” pieces and familiar faces you see during those early Fight Week experiences that throw people off. In many cases, regional events are contained to making weight, and then turning up on the night of the show; there is limited media and very few obligations and expectations put on the shoulders of the athletes other than for them to turn up and fight.
The UFC fight week experience is a multi-day adventure that includes everything from checking in and learning where everything is to photo shoots, outfitting, and media obligations, all while you’re also trying to hone in on cutting weight and getting ready to make the walk to the Octagon at the end of the week.
“When you’re fighting in previous organizations, it’s not the same,” Oki said with a smile. “The UFC is the main thing — it’s your goal, it’s your dream — and it’s like, ‘Wow! Am I really here?’ You have that thing and the other thing is that you need to perform.
“At the Dana White’s Contender Series, I knew it was an opportunity that I had to take, so I was like, ‘I’m just gonna give it my all and f*** everything else,’ so I was 100-percent go, go, go. Once you have the contract, you’re like, ‘Now I’m here’ and you have four fights, and you see DC, all those big stars you see on TV, so you’re enjoying the process, but also living it and being like, ‘Wow!’
“It takes time to make the switch from ‘Wow — it’s the UFC’ to ‘Okay, I’m here, and now let’s work, let’s do it!’” added “The Zulu Warrior,” who put the finishing touches on his training camp in Paris alongside Nassourdine Imavov, Benoit Saint Denis, and William Gomis, all of whom are set to compete this weekend at Accor Arena. “I’m used to it, but you have to get used to the cage, the big cameras, the public and everything. Now I feel like I’m here, I’ve seen it all, and I’m ready to perform at my best.
“I signed my second contract, so I’m super-happy about that, and I’m ready to go and to live on my dream.”
The dream of fighting professionally first took root for Oki as he learned about Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, enthralled by their talents in the ring and the way they carried themselves. When MMA came into his orbit, it was standouts like Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, followed by Rashad Evans, Rampage Jackson, and Jon Jones, who then gave way to the bombastic brilliance of Conor McGregor before “The Three Kings” — African standouts Francis Ngannou, Kamaru Usman, and Israel Adesanya — showed the 29-year-old who represents both Nigeria and Zimbabwe along with Belgium that competitors from the continent could thrive at the highest reaches of the sport.
Until very recently, Oki was the lone fighter from Belgium on the roster, though he’ll be officially joined by Losene Keita this weekend, but the weight of representing a nation — or several nations in his case — never felt too heavy for the proud, focused lightweight prospect.
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“I’m used to having the pressure of — I’m not the only one now, but I was the only Belgian guy,” began Oki. “I wasn’t the first Nigerian because we had Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, and others, and the Zimbabwean part — I take it all with pride.
“I’m the kind of guy that can have some pressure on my shoulders and I will be (okay); I’m strong enough mentally to raise our flags and be proud of it. If I can inspire the other fighters from my country, inspire them to be great and fulfill their dreams, I’ll be the man to show that. I take it well and, for me, it’s good to show them the way.”
Saturday night in Paris, Oki will look to showcase his skills in what should be a highly combustible matchup with Jones, a former two-division Cage Warriors champion making the second start of his second run in the UFC.
Following an uneven first tour of duty, the Welshman returned to Cage Warriors, posted four consecutive wins, and landed a place back in the lightweight ranks, kicking off his comeback with a unanimous decision win over Jeremy Stephens in the veteran’s home state of Iowa back in May.
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“I know he’s hungry, he has a good record, good experience,” he said of Jones, who went 1-2 with one no contest in his first UFC stint. “He loves to fight, likes to have a big war, so I think his style matches good with mine because we’re both fighters that don't shy away from war.
“I think he’s a good fighter, but I think I’m more intelligent, better, faster. I feel this is gonna be a big fight and I’m gonna get my hand raised.”
And doing so would mean a great deal to the ambitious lightweight, who has a blueprint in his mind for the path he’d like to travel following a win over Jones on Saturday.
“It would be great!” he said of beating Jones. “It will be huge because the UFC knows what kind of fight it is, so it’s gonna make me jump further in the division. For me, it’s a big, big win against him because he’s not an easy fight, so getting a win over Mason Jones will be huge.
“(After this), I wanna fight somebody in the Top 15 and then climb up — climb, climb, climb my way to the Top 10, Top 5, and then go hunting for the belt. Fighting, fighting, winning, winning, and getting close to the belt.”
UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs Borralho took place live from Accor Arena in Paris, France on September 6, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!