Marc Diakiese has turned his UFC future around once before, but doesn't feel that he needs to do it again this weekend against Viacheslav Borshchev.
When the promotion came to the UK in 2019, Diakiese was facing the chop in a crunch clash with veteran Joseph Duffy at The O2 arena after three straight losses following an unbeaten career start. But his fortunes began to change when he earned the decision against the Irishman and went on to beat Lando Vannata next time out.
However he now faces a similar predicament after two losses in a row against Rafael Fiziev and Rafael Alves following a period of inactivity due to the coronavirus pandemic. But he insists he is focused on winning, and that the situation now is very different to the Duffy fight.
"The difference now is that I understand that in the UFC you can be at the top, and drop in a minute," he told Mirror Fighting . "Without even knowing it you can just drop so quickly.
"I've seen it with a lot of top fighters, top names, who have gone four in a row with losses, but you can't be thinking about that. It's about me going out there and performing, I need to put pressure on myself.
"I'm out here because I know fans love to watch me fight, so what happens is going to happen, I'm going to enjoy this fight and have fun."
To get back in the win column, he's going to need to put an end to the winning run of Russian prospect Borschev, who has only tasted defeat once since moving from kickboxing and boxing to MMA in 2019. He won't have faced an experienced hand like Diakiese before tomorrow night, and the Congolese-born Brit believes that will prove the difference.
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He also believes the promotion are trying to set Borschev up to continue his winning run, but he plans to spoil the party. "He's up-and-coming," Diakiese admitted. "He's got four finishes, a bit of hype behind him so for me after two losses in a row I think they're trying to give him a shot at me basically.
"It's a good fight, I'll take it for what it is. There's only one way to find out and that's to watch on Saturday, I think he's a great opponent, good level, but I don't think he's got what I have to offer.
"I don't have too much pressure on my back, you get remembered by the fans. I'm looking forward to for the first time in three years fighting in front of the live crowd. I like hearing the crowd scream when something is f***ing crazy and that's what I'm going to do."
Watch Marc Diakiese as he takes on Viacheslav Borshchev at UFC FIGHT NIGHT ® : BLAYDES vs. DAUKAUS on Saturday, March 26.
Coverage starts on UFC FIGHT PASS at 8pm and continues from 9pm on BT Sport 2.
