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Hailing from the lunar region, Khama Worthy stepped into the octagon seven months ago and suffered its first loss his UFC career. Now “The Deathstar” wants to repair the ship.
On Saturday, Worthy (16-7) will face Australian Jamie Mullarkey on the UFC 260 Main Card, before heavyweights Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou face each other later that evening. Worthy has suffered his first loss since 2017 but is ready to get back to work.
« I feel really good and take every fight individually, » said Worthy. « So I’ll just show up to this one and get ready to roll. »
On September 12, Worthy faced the undefeated Ottman Azaitar and « The Bulldozer » hit him early in the first round with a series of punches that forced the stop. It was an unfortunate setback for Worthy who made a name for himself in the UFC.
Worthy started his UFC career when he pissed off Devonte Smith, who was 10-1 at the time, four days in advance in 2019 with a knockout in the first round that put him on the map. Then, last July, Worthy pushed his winning streak to seven when he presented Luis Pena with a choke he called « The Pittsburgh Guillotine ».
The 34-year-old, who runs his own gym in Pittsburgh called « The Academy », is still considered one of the most exciting fighters in the industry. Even after a loss, Worthy said he felt no additional pressure his fourth UFC fight.
« I never really felt like I had to prove myself at all. I mean, I know what I’m capable of, » said Worthy. “I just go out there and fight. You can’t really think about proving yourself or who is watching or anything. I just go in and fight and fight the way I like to fight. »
Mullarkey, a 26-year-old 6-foot player, has lost the first two UFC fights of his career but holds a professional record of 12-4 and has eight KOs and three submissions in his professional career. However, his last two defeats to Brad Riddell (6-1) and Fares Ziam (10-3) are both due to a decision.
Given his history of not just giving in, Worthy said he knew he had to be ready to walk the distance Saturday night when it came down to it.
« So he fights and so and he’s a very long-lived guy, » said Worthy. « He’s a former rugby player and that’s exactly how they are. So I can definitely see it going all three rounds, or I can see me taking him out too aggressively, it all depends. »
Worthy knows that Mullarkey can be dangerous too. With two losses early in his UFC career, he needs a win to prove himself at the highest level. So he could be most dangerous when facing Worthy on Saturday.
Worthy has been in the ring countless times. He is a seasoned fighter with a lot of experience so he believes he will be a good fit with whoever steps into the ring with him. Mullarkey is just the next to do this.
« I’m a pretty seasoned fighter and pretty good anywhere, » said Worthy. “Well, I think I go pretty well with everyone, but I definitely do with them. It’s a fan friendly fight and I think it’s going to be interesting and fun to watch. »
Greg Macafee is a contributor to Tribune Review. You can contact Greg by email at [email protected] or on Twitter.
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