UFC Fight Night 252's Ion Cutelaba certain he can answer Ibo Aslan's pressure

SEATTLE – Ion Cutelaba is expecting an explosive situation when he enters the octagon with Ibo Aslan at UFC Fight Night 252, and he fully expects to emerge from the fire.

Cutelaba (18-9-1 MMA, 7-8-1 UFC) meets Aslan (14-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) on Saturday in a light heavyweight bout at Climate Pledge Arena (ESPN+), and the matchup has all the makings of a brief and highly violent affair.

With 16 UFC fights under his belt, there’s no secret what Cutelaba brings to the table. He’s finished all but two of his career wins by stoppage, but that percentage falls just shy of Aslan, who has knocked out his opponent in all of his victories thus far, with only one escaping the first round.

Cutelaba has seen the way Aslan has run through the competition to this point, but said that’s all about to change.

“I’ve prepared hard for this for three months,” Cutelaba told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 252 media day. “I know exactly what to expect from him. I know he’s a very exciting fighter, that he likes to pressure. But as he said about me, I always have a answer for the pressure he can bring.”

Although Cutelaba, who has been in the UFC since July 2016, has been on this stage many more times than Aslan, there’s countless instance throughout history where that means nothing once the punches start flying.

For Cutelaba, however, it will be the difference between victory and defeat.

“I think 99 percent of the fight will be decided by my experience,” Cutelaba said.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.