The experienced Brazilian fighter Сiro “The Bad Boy” Rodrigues will face the ACB former welterweight champion Mohammed Berkhamov on the 31st of August at ACA 97. Ciro has fought 31 professional MMA fights. He always delivers his fans exciting fights, and his record backs this up this as he has 14 KO victories.
We spoke to the “Bad Boy” and got his thought on the upcoming fight.
Сiro, on August 31st at ACA 97 you will face your next challenge – Mohammed Berhamov. Tell us how you feel about it, how you training had gone and what motivates you going forward?
- I’m fully prepared for this fight, my biggest motivation is me getting back on my journey to the welterweight belt after defeating Mohammed
Your opponent was ACB welterweight champion, and so far he hasn’t lost a single fight in his career. You, on the other hand, have two TKO losses. Does this fact put under pressure before this matchup?
- He has not suffered a single defeat just yet, that will change on the 31st of August at ACA 97! The fight with me will be different as I don’t feel any pressure from my losses in the past. My last fight was interrupted by a ringside doctor, and Aslanbek knew that he was going to lose the fight, because I was better in the first round.
You have accumulated 22 wins throughout your career, 14 of which were by the way of KO or TKO. Your opponent, however, has gained most of his wins by submission. Do you think that our audience will the clash of styles, grappling vs striking?
- The fans will see a war. I’m a striker, he’s a grappler, I hope that the knowledgeable Russian audience will appreciate this great fight. I have some tricks up my sleeve and they are all very dangerous, I have 14 KO victories after all.
Have you seen your opponent’s fights? Do you study them with your team?
- Yes, we study his fight thoroughly with my team.
Can you tell us right now, what will be your trump card in this fight, what will help you win it?
- As everybody knows, my fights hardly ever go to a decision. I have 14 KO victories and 4 submissions. I’m sure this fight will be no different in this regard.
Many fighters prefer to carefully select their next opponents, and you fight top contenders almost every time; tell us how you feel about it. Do you like getting such tough challenges and what do you feel knowing that you are in the cage with some of ACA’s most dangerous fighters?
- Yes, I know there are fighters who choose easier opponents. I’m not like that. I believe that ACA is the biggest event in the world and it needs tough athletes and if they put me against the best of the best, it’s because they know that I’ll be able to come out victorious. I’m a dangerous, professional fighter, I like exciting challenges and I have already got used to fighting the toughest guys on the roster. I feel that growing as a fighter day by day, and sooner or later I will get that belt.
