Athletes
Torrez Finney | Happy To Be The ‘Road Team’
Undefeated Middleweight’s First Big-Arena Show As A UFC Fighter Sees Him Heading To Enemy Territory, And He’s Relishing The Challenge
After taking the long road to get here, Torrez Finney is ready to showcase his skills on the global stage at UFC 325.
The undefeated middleweight had to fight three times in Dana White's Contender Series before eventually earning a UFC contract. Then, when he got his first bout assignment as a UFC fighter, it saw him heading straight back to the same UFC APEX venue where he battled to win his UFC chance.
Finney's UFC debut saw him face Robert Valentin last April as he battled to a split-decision victory in a fight he said didn't showcase his skills in the best light.
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"It was a test of a journey," he admitted.
"To go to the Contender Series three times in a row, and finally, to make that walk was something that I was happy to finally make it. But I felt like that experience, for that fight, wasn't what I necessarily wanted.
"Obviously, I got the win – that's the main thing that always matters – but not the performance that I wanted to showcase.
"I fought more at the APEX than some of the guys who have been on the (roster) for years. So, you know, the fourth time in the APEX, you know, I got the vibe (that) it's the same thing, you know? And yes, the first UFC fight, things are a little different throughout the week, but I treated it almost no different than another Contender Series fight."
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If over-familiarity had any negative effect on Finney's UFC debut, things will be markedly different this weekend. Finney has jetted across the globe to Sydney, Australia, where he'll compete on a big arena UFC card for the very first time. It's exactly the sort of event Finney dreamed he'd compete on one day, and now that it’s arrived, he’s excited to dive into the experience headfirst.
"For me, I think now this is that experience that I'm looking forward to – finally being able to be in a crowd, regardless if they're on my side or not, and to be the showcase in front of a of people, and also in front of the world,” he said.
“Yeah, I'm ready. I'm meant to be here.”
Fighting in front of a huge crowd is always a rush, but this weekend, the vast majority of that crowd will be cheering for his opponent. Jacob Malkoun is Sydney-born and bred, and he’s sure to get a huge ovation from the Aussie fight fans. It means Finney will have to play the role of spoiler, and that suits him just fine.
“I’m actually excited for that, because this is the first time in my fight career where I've been the road team,” he explained.
“I come from a football background, so I'm always about home and away, and in theory, basically, just about every fight, I've always been like the home team. The crowd’s been more on my side every time.
“So it's pretty cool to now have to go on the road and be able to go into enemy territory, so to speak, and be able to fight. And I think that's really cool. They call it, walk in your trap and take over your trap. So, that's my goal going into this one.
“When you play football, it was no better way than to go on the road, beat a team in their house, and going back with the win. So that's one of those things that I'm really excited for.”
Finney is clearly happy to be on the road and excited to showcase his improvements in front of a big crowd in Sydney. He’s had to wait a while for his second bite of the UFC cherry, but rather than be frustrated with the 11-month gap between fights, Finney said that the time was a blessing as he invested it into making himself a better fighter for his next appearance.
When we asked if he found it difficult to have to wait, he admitted, “No, actually. The reason why I say that is because I’m still a young fighter within this game.
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“(It will) be just like my sixth year of fighting. I started in June 2020, and everything in my career had been going fast. I did an amateur career in a year. Then I go pro, and my second year as a professional, I’m already fighting on the Contender Series. So everything was just like, ‘Wow! This is fast!’
“I think now I've taken time off to allow my skill sets to catch up with my career. And I think by doing that, that allowed me to be prepared for moments like this.
“I’m really confident walking into this cage, really confident against anybody that I'm able to step up against, and I'm going to continue to keep getting better. But yes, this was that time where ‘don't rush the process,’ you know? Trust the process. And that was allowing me to be like, ‘Hey, let your skill set catch up with your career,’ because sometimes some guys’ careers shoot faster than what their skill set is able to take on. I didn't want that to happen for me, and I'm glad I'm ready to showcase that on Sunday.”
With the buzz of fighting overseas, on enemy territory, and the knowledge that he’s leveled up his game during his time away, Finney is ready to shine in Sydney. He didn’t want to go as far as offering a prediction for fight night, but he did offer something of a teaser of what the fans can expect when he steps into the Octagon at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday.
“Like I always say, I never make predictions, but I always know, guaranteeing one thing at the end of the night, that my hand will be raised,” he said.
“I’m really confident everywhere where the fight is going. I've improved so much, and I think everybody's gonna be in for a show. You know you're gonna see a really improved Torrez Finney, and I can't wait to showcase that.
“(The fans) are going to see an explosive bowling ball, ready to tear through anything where they can go one round, whether it goes 15 minutes, I'm ready for anything that comes forth. And I'm ready. I'm so pumped. I'm ready to go.”
UFC 325: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 took place live from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia on January 31, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!