Phumi Nkuta is among the prime fighters on the earth not presently signed to the UFC, and the highly-skilled flyweight desires to not solely compete contained in the octagon, but in addition the WWE ring as effectively.
Nkuta’s subsequent check takes place this Friday at LFA 211 when he faces former promotional champ Cody Davis within the co-main occasion in Salamanca, N.Y. “Turbo” is 9-0, and has had titles for the likes of CFFC, and has additionally started a journey within the professional wrestling world. Actually, Nkuta had his first match in opposition to former WWE famous person and UFC fighter Matt Riddle, and delivered a formidable efficiency.
With Nkuta having aspirations to compete for each the UFC and WWE, the 29-year-old was requested if he had to decide on one or the opposite, which might he go along with?
“I might look my supervisor within the eye, and I might inform him, ‘My buddy, they’re each underneath one firm, you bought to let me run up each,’” Nkuta advised MMA Preventing. I imply, clearly, I’ve been coaching my complete life for blended martial arts. I’m a UFC head since I used to be a child. I’ve at all times wished to be within the UFC, I’ve been coaching my complete life to be within the UFC. That’s what I might need first. If I needed to, I might take that choice first, however on the finish of the day, man, I don’t assume there’s a single different athlete on the planet who’s doing what I’m doing, you realize what I imply?
“And there’s no disrespect to anyone. It’s not being cocky, it’s not being smug, however identify me one other skilled athlete on the earth who’s been skilled by Ray Longo, Matt Serra, after which been skilled by one of many biggest skilled wrestlers in historical past in Superb Purple. Identify me one other man who’s held a bunch of titles within the sport of blended martial arts they usually stated, ‘You understand what, I’m gonna tackle this stud right here from the WWE and I’m gonna look good doing it, too.’ After which I’m gonna get on the microphone and make it look even higher. I haven’t gotten the chance to show what I can do, however thank God, man, I acquired followers who help me, and I really assume I’m a particular athlete. I feel I’m one in every of one. …
“TKO is one large firm with WWE and UFC. Why not have one athlete who could possibly be a star in each on the similar time?”
Nkuta hopes his efficiency in opposition to a heralded and harmful opponent can lastly get him that elusive name for a UFC alternative, a brief discover struggle, or perhaps a spot on the upcoming season of Dana White’s Contender Sequence.
The longtime coaching companion of UFC champ Merab Dvalishvili, and former champ Aljamain Sterling has been prepared for that decision for fairly a while, however admits that constructing expertise in the direction of that objective can solely assist.
As soon as he will get that decision, nonetheless, Nkuta plans to remain extremely busy, and hopes he can shine within the premier MMA and professional wrestling organizations sooner or later.
“[My goal is] I’m at Uncooked on Monday, after which I’ll be on the PLE on that Saturday after which I’ll take a brief discover struggle and struggle the subsequent week once more for the UFC on the APEX or one thing, it don’t even matter to me, man,” Nkuta stated. “I’m simply hungry, I’m coaching laborious, I’m In Las Vegas now, so I’m within the good environment if you wish to be a fighter, so I’m solely getting higher.
“So yeah, rack them up, give me one thing within the WWE, give me one thing within the UFC and I don’t assume there’s anyone who’s ever held a belt in each on the similar time. Why not me? …
“TKO is form of actually displaying itself to be the true house of like, not simply the UFC, and never simply the WWE, however simply fight sports activities typically. They acquired their fingers in jiu-jitsu, they acquired their fingers in MMA, boxing, wrestling. It’d be cool in the event that they did Muay Thai too, man. That’d be fairly dope. Perhaps four-ounce gloved Muay Thai.
“However so far as I’m involved, man, yeah, I need to be that Bo Jackson, I need to be that Deion Sanders. I’m attempting to attain a landing and [hit] a house run in a single evening, man, you realize what I’m saying?”
