HOUSTON – Mirsad Bektic is gunning for consistency in 2020.
A UFC featherweight contender, Bektic (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) has long been perceived by the public as a fighter with a lot of potential. That said, he’s struggled to follow up, due to injuries and inconsistency.
In the lead-up to UFC 247 however, Bektic thinks he’s found a solution which solves both issues.
“Fans and promotions haven’t seen me in action quite as much because of injuries and my own ego getting the better of me and overworking,” Bektic told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I worked a lot smarter. In some people’s eyes, (I worked) a lot less. It was pretty cool.”
The thought of his post-career health really hit home for the American Top Team product. While the temptation to train 24/7 has long been present in his mind, Bektic indicated he’s kept his impulses in check by remembering to do what’s best for his body longterm.
“You want to think about longevity,” Bektic said. “You want to think about sustainability. How will I be as a man at 60 years old outside of this sport? That really hit home. It’s tough, right? As a competitor, a top competitor, I’m competitive in everything I do. I’ve got to put my ego down and I feel great to do two more rounds. My partner got the best of me last round, I should do another one. It’s like, I’m going to take a step back and try to get it next time.
“We don’t get second chances in fights. That’s how I approach training. I was very effective in my training. I have an hour. I’ll be most effective in the hour – not 30 minutes before, not thirty minutes after. I’m not making it a three-hour practice.”
Saturday night, Bektic takes on surging Hawaiian Dan Ige on the UFC 247 main card. Bektic grinned when talking about the upcoming fight. He likes the matchup Ige (12-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) presents.
“As soon as I found out about him, I checked out his style. I love it,” Bektic said. “I love his style and this stylistic matchup. I’m very excited to go out there and showcase the Mirsad everybody knows.”
UFC 247 takes place Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
Check out MMA Junkie’s full UFC 247 pre-fight interview with Mirsad Bektic in the video above.
