Ilay Barzilay faces Richie Miranda for the LFA light-weight title Friday in Ventura, Calif., and desires it to be his ticket to the UFC roster.
Born in Israel, the son of an Israeli father and Brazilian mom, the LFA 215 headliner moved full-time to Brazil for the dream of turning into a high-level MMA fighter. After a earlier go to to Chute Boxe in Sao Paulo in a brief journey from america, Barzilay determined to make Preventing Nerds residence.
“Not to remove something from different groups however Preventing Nerds, after I went there the primary time, I used to be scared due to how excessive the extent was — and I didn’t know any of the fighters,” Barzilay advised MMA Preventing. “They have been superb and it’s absurd nobody knew them, or I used to be actually dangerous [laughs]. One thing was fallacious, as a result of I had unimaginable expertise and had no concept these guys have been so good.”
That was three years in the past — and Barzilay was sharing the mats with the likes of Mauricio Ruffy, who’s now a highly-touted prospect within the UFC light-weight division.
“I’ve at all times educated with UFC fighters, so I noticed from the start how that was,” Barzilay mentioned. “I noticed what UFC stage was, and what I needed to do in an effort to get there. I’ll provide you with an instance. To be round Jean [Silva], to coach with him on daily basis, that’s an entire different stage. That’s championship stage. That’s wonderful expertise for me. I made a decision to remain round these guys to see precisely what they did each single day, to reside that, and now I’m dwelling it.
“I’m studying so much, studying what I must do. To not be only a UFC fighter however a top-level UFC fighter, a champion, a future champion. To me, coaching at Preventing Nerds is an entire different stage.”
The 24-year-old light-weight received seven straight within the sport to earn a shot on the LFA belt, racking up 4 wins with one knockout within the promotion. Miranda went 8-1 beneath the LFA banner alone, half of these victories coming by means of stoppage.
“Richie is a wonderful athlete,” Barzilay mentioned. “He has a great report, he has solely misplaced as soon as — in a break up determination. He’s well-rounded, has good placing and good wrestling, however his neatest thing is his tempo. He has nice tempo to get his opponents drained and win fights. He has good quantity. He doesn’t have many knockouts, however has good quantity.
“Being fairly trustworthy, the whole lot he does I do higher. Energy strikes, I’m far more harmful. I’ve the ability to finish fights with one strike, which he doesn’t. And to speak about cardio, I’ve the most effective cardio within the recreation. Everybody who trains with me is aware of that. Folks will solely get to see that now as a result of it’s a five-round struggle. However my cardio is limitless. He is aware of issues nicely, I received’t say he doesn’t, however the whole lot he does, I do finest.
“I’m not seeing how I’d lose this struggle. I’m very assured,” he added. “I’ll take the LFA belt and see what the long run holds. I imagine it’s quickly going to be the UFC.”
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