LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 09: Joe Solecki prepares to fight James Wallace in their lightweight bout during Dana White's Contender Series at the UFC Apex on July 9, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/DWCS LLC)
Joe Solecki believes Matt Wiman ‘is the perfect opponent’ for his UFC debut
Joe Solecki never expected to be fighting Matt Wiman in his UFC debut, but that will happen at UFC Washington on Saturday.
For Solecki, after earning a contract on the Contender Series he thought he would he would be fighting a UFC newcomer like himself.
“It wasn’t anybody I had thought I would be fighting. I used to watch his fights and was a decent size fan of his. He hasn’t been active so I never thought about it,” Solecki said to MyMMANews. “I assumed I would be fighting another newcomer. But, this is a very good opportunity for me because I can fight someone people know. But, also fight someone that is a winnable fight for me. It is the perfect opponent for me.”
Just days away from his fight, the nerves are there for Solecki but he is more excited to finally make the walk.
“I’m excited man. I would be lying to you if I said I wasn’t nervous. It is the kind of nerves that gets you out of bed to go train every day and push,” he said. “It’s kind of crazy because of the Contender Series leading up to it, I was pumped up about it. But, now I have been picturing this for eight-years-old.”
Against Matt Wiman, he knows a win will not get him ranked, especially in a stacked division like lightweight. But, he says a victory will just prove he belongs and make a name for himself going into the second fight.
“It will just validate that I can fight at the highest level of the sport. The win isn’t going to be, oh you fought a newcomer he didn’t belong. There is no arguing what Matt has done for the sport,” Solecki said. “If I go out there and do what I do and how I plan to do it, I think I can really make a name for myself off the bat.”
In the end, Joe Solecki is confident in his skill set that he will get his hand raised. He plans to show off his entire game on Saturday.
“I spent my whole life grappling and still focus on it a lot with blending it in with the strikes and wrestling. But, I plan on being well-rounded. You can’t fight a guy like Matt Wiman and be one dimensional. That being said, Wiman likes to grapple. So at some point, we are going to end up on the mat. That is when I can show my skill.”
