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UFC Middleweight sensation Edmen Shahbazyan will be competing in his first-ever UFC main event this weekend, as he is all set for an exciting clash against veteran Derek Brunson.
In the lead-up to the fight, I had the opportunity to speak with Edmen Shahbazyan as part of the UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs Shahbazyan virtual media day, and during the conversation, I discussed a host of topics with 'The Golden Boy'.
This weekend's UFC event was originally set for a headliner between Holly Holm and Irene Aldana, but after the cancellation of that fight, Brunson vs Shahbazyan was promoted to the main event slot. The fight will be a three-round bout but promises to be another exciting outing in the UFC's Middleweight Division.
During the interview, Edmen Shahbazyan opened up on what the feeling is like for him heading into his first main event, the influence of Ronda Rousey in his career, and more.
You can check out my conversation with Edmen Shahbazyan from the 2:21:40 mark (courtesy of MMA Fighting).
Edmen Shahbazyan on what the feeling is like in the lead-up to his first UFC main event
It is safe to say that in the build-up to his first-ever main event, Edmen Shahbazyan definitely isn't feeling the pressure and will be treating this fight like any other Gold Medal match.
"No, no, no pressure for me. I treat it like any other fight, I go into each fight treating it like a gold medal match. So, its the same as any."
Edmen Shahbazyan on his training experience with Ronda Rousey and her influence
'The Golden Boy' has been training with Ronda Rousey and her team for years now. As a matter of fact, Edme Shahbazyan was first introduced to the fight game courtesy of Rousey's team and in the lead-up to the bout, the former UFC Bantamweight Champion also had a special message in store for the young UFC Middleweight.
Discussing Rousey's influence on his career, Shahbazyan had this to say:
"Yeah, I actually used to be like her sparring partner when I was even younger than that clip [Shahbazyan referring to a clip of him training with Ronda Rousey]. I grew up watching her and I grew up seeing her rise to fame, and all that. Yeah, I've a good relationship with her, she currently manages me with Coach Edmond. I'm happy to have her be a part of my team"
Edmen Shahbazyan on what it was like to be promoted to the main event slot
The original main event for this weekend was between Holly Holm and Irene Aldana but after the cancellation of that fight, Edmen Shahbazyan vs Derek Brunson got promoted to the main event position.
Shahbazyan also opened up on that when I asked him if the change caused any sort of significant changes to him.
"No, if anything, it added an extra bit of motivation for me because we are the headliner now, so I'm excited. It puts me in a better position to showcase a better performance."
When is Derek Brunson vs Edmen Shahbazyan?
Derek Brunson vs Edmen Shahbazyan is scheduled for the 2nd of August and the fight will be a three-round main event.
