Former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria is in London for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event. Brazilian lightweight Kaue Fernandes hopes to impress Topuria with his performance.
Fernandes is scheduled to fight Guram Kutateladze on the preliminary card at the O2 Arena. He believes that defeating Kutateladze, who is associated with Georgian stars Ilia Topuria and Merab Dvalishvili, could generate attention and future storylines.
Fernandes considered the possibility of Dvalishvili and Topuria being present in Kutateladze’s corner. He thinks that if Kutateladze loses, it might create an interesting narrative. Fernandes also feels that Kutateladze’s connections to prominent fighters add to the fight’s significance.
Topuria, the former 145-pound champion, has vacated his title to move to lightweight and pursue Islam Makhachev’s championship. The UFC has not yet announced Topuria’s debut in the lightweight division or his first opponent.
Fernandes acknowledged that Kutateladze has some existing hype. He stated that a close decision victory would not significantly boost his profile, but a knockout win could generate considerable hype. Fernandes views this fight as a chance to advance his career and demonstrate his full potential.
In his UFC debut in 2023, Fernandes experienced a narrow split decision loss to Marc Diakiese. He then rebounded with a first-round knockout victory against Mohammad Yahya in Abu Dhabi. Fernandes expresses that competing in a foreign environment motivates him.
Fernandes explains that he feels more energized when fighting outside his home country. He enjoyed fighting in Abu Dhabi against a local fighter and is excited to compete in London, a city he has always wanted to visit. He believes this energy enhances his performance.
Fernandes feels more confident coming into this fight with a win compared to his previous bout after a loss. He believes finishing Yahya has boosted his confidence in his knockout power and hopes to earn a $50,000 performance bonus.
Fernandes noted that Kutateladze utilized grappling more than striking in his previous fight against Jordan Vucenic in August 2023, despite having a striking background. Fernandes believes that fighters tend to grapple when they feel threatened on their feet. He anticipates a stand-up fight but acknowledges that grappling is a possibility for both fighters.
