Athletes
Ricky Turcios Will 'Fight To The Bitter End'
“Pretty Ricky” Says He’s Ready For War As He Gets His Long-Awaited Clash With Raul Rosas Jr. At UFC Louisiana
He’s had to wait a little longer than expected, but Ricky Turcios will finally face Raul Rosas Jr. this weekend, and heading into the bout, he’s laser-focused on victory.
The original plan was for the pair to fight in Mexico City in February, but the bout was pulled from the fight card at the last minute when Rosas was declared unwell and unable to make the walk for the matchup. Now, more than three months removed from that event, the duo are set to finally meet, and will do battle in a main card clash at 135 pounds.
Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview
For Turcios, it’s a case of just moving on and getting back to work.
“Back in Mexico in February, when the fight didn't pan out, for sure, it was a little bit of a shocker,” he admitted.
“But I actually just re-centered myself, calmed myself, and just continued my training and my preparation. I'm excited that now, this Saturday, here in Louisville, we're gonna get to settle this.”
TUF 32: Episode 1 Recap | How To Watch
Turcios gives the impression of a man in a hurry, but also one with a clear sense of purpose and direction. When talking about his upcoming assignment, he was all business as he explained just how he plans to approach the challenge of the 19-year-old prospect.
“As I go into any fight, I always go in there with one objective (and) that's to win by any means necessary,” he stated.
“The win is what motivates me. I go in here, and now it's time to go to the deep, dark trenches and fight hard for the win.
“This weekend against Rosas Jr. I'm prepared for a tough fight. But, I see the opening, I go for the knockout or the submission. And if he's super tough, whatever. We'll go to war for 15 minutes. I'm ready. Let's go!”
MORE UFC LOUISVILLE: Main Event Spotlight | Rosas Jr. Fight Week Interview | Fighters On The Rise
Turcios’ willingness to embrace whatever challenge presents itself is probably one of the major reasons why he won Season 29 of The Ultimate Fighter. The fifth pick for Team Volkanovski, Turcios got the opportunity to learn under one of the UFC’s modern-day greats, and wins over Dan Argueta and Liudvik Sholinian - the latter earning a standing ovation from UFC CEO Dana White – propelled him into the final at UFC Vegas 35.
A hard-earned split-decision victory over Brady Hiestand saw Turcios crowned The Ultimate Fighter, and he’s since gone 1-1 as an official UFC fighter, with his last outing seeing him claim his maiden UFC victory against Kevin Natividad.
That experience, coupled with his own positive mindset, has helped him make it to the big stage, and he said that he is ready to do whatever it takes to claim the victory in Louisville on Saturday night.
UFC 304 IN MANCHESTER: Buy Tickets | VIP Experiences
“Stylistically, I believe I could win this fight in any position – in the standup game, and in the ground game. So, wherever this fight goes, I'm ready to win it,” he said.
“I always prepare myself for a 15-minute war, 25-minute war. This is a three-round fight, whatever. But I look for the opening, (and if) he gives me the opening, I'll take the knockout, or the submission. Whenever I'm in the war, all I'm really thinking is, ’Dig deep, keep pushing, keep attacking, keep fighting, fight till the bitter end.’
“I’ve worked hard for this, and I put myself in this position. I'm out here in the co-co-main event here at UFC Louisville. It’s by no coincidence.
“I’ve won The Ultimate Fighter, I've taken my licks, I've taken my losses. I've come back, I've bounced back. Whenever I was hit with the flying knee, I said, ‘No! I will not stay down! I'm gonna keep going. I'm gonna keep fighting. I'm gonna win. I'm gonna find a way to win.’
“Now I'm here, let's go again. Another battle on the horizon this Saturday. I'm going to fight hard and, God willing, I'm leaving with my hand raised.”
UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Imavov took place live from KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky on June 8, 2024. See the final Prelims & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!