Austin Bashi believes the biggest opportunity of his young UFC career is right around the corner.The 24-year-old featherweight will meet Jose Delgado at UFC Fight Night 281 on July 18 in Oklahoma City.
Both fighters earned their way to the promotion through Dana White’s Contender Series and bounced back after suffering their first UFC defeats. Now, Bashi sees the matchup as a chance to climb into a higher tier of competition.
Bashi confident ahead of biggest UFC test
Despite Delgado’s experience and recognizable wins inside the Octagon, Bashi told MMA Junkie Radio that he likes the matchup and expects to leave with an emphatic finish.
“He’s definitely a tough guy, but I love this matchup.”
“I really think I’m going to finish him in the first or second round. This is definitely the biggest fight of my career.”
“A win here puts me into a much bigger fight next and really accelerates my career. Right now, I’m just focused on July 18 and getting this win so my career keeps moving upward.”
A victory would continue Bashi’s strong rebound after earning a submission win over Johny Yannis last August. That performance followed the lone loss of his professional career, an upset defeat against Christian Rodriguez in his UFC debut.
Young contender embraces the prospect label
Bashi has often been labeled one of the UFC’s top prospects, and he has no issue with the description.
“I’m young. That’s usually what they call younger fighters who are just getting into the UFC.”
The Michigan native has built momentum with six straight stoppage victories, including five wins by submission. Even with his stock rising, Bashi says his motivation has never been about the attention that comes with success.
“It’s definitely not the paycheck or the fame, I just love this.”