ABU DHABI – Aleksandar Rakic has made a major change in his career as he looks to rebound at UFC 321.
Rakic (14-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) aims to snap a three-fight losing skid when he takes on undefeated light heavyweight Azamat Murzakanov (15-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in Saturday’s main card opener (Pay-per-view, FX/Disney+/ESPN+) at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
“He’s very impressive – very, very good striker,” Rakic told MMA Junkie of Murzakanov. “(He’s) more striking based, a short southpaw, very aggressive, good boxing – but my background is also striking. It will be a very fun match, and I think the UFC is starting to build him up. I think it’s the first fight in the top 10 for him. I’ve been fighting the last five, six years there, so (I’m) just going to welcome him to the top 10 and don’t let him take my place in the rankings.”
Since returning from a two-year layoff due to injury, Rakic was defeated by former champions Jiri Prochazka at UFC 300 and Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 308. Despite being in unfamiliar waters, Rakic is confident that with his new team, he will turn things around.
“It was a long layoff before the Jiri fight – two years off coming back from injury,” Rakic said. “It was a very good fight, very competitive. Then the fight against Ankalaev, of course it was like a semifinal because the winner of that fight fought for the title. In that case, it was Ankalaev, and he became champion. So I think the true potential and the full potential from Aleksandar Rakic, we’ll see on Saturday.
“I made a big decision after the Ankalaev fight: I changed teams. I changed my whole team. I have a new head coach, training in Serbia full time. It took me one year exactly now from last fight to digest everything, and to work with the new team and click. So I believe that you will see on Saturday night the full potential of Aleksandar Rakic.”
