Athletes
Cameron Saaiman “I'm Ready To Go To War”
Bantamweight Talks His Journey From Setbacks To Seizing New Opportunities In The Octagon As He Gears Up To Prove Himself Once Again.
Cameron Saaiman is radiating enthusiasm as he prepares to step into the Octagon opposite Payton Talbott at UFC Fight Night: Ribas vs Namajunas.
"I'm feeling great, like a million bucks. I'm so ready to make weight, and ready for the fight. We've worked very hard for this, so time is creeping up. I'm just getting more excited the closer we get to the fight."
Saaiman burst onto the UFC scene in 2022 with a pair of impressive TKO victories against Steven Koslow at UFC 282 and Terrence Mitchell at UFC 290. But his last time out against Christian Rodriguez threw a wrench in his winning streak, as he suffered a unanimous decision loss last October.
Despite the setback, Saaiman isn't one to dwell on the past, and has instead taken the loss in stride, using it as fuel to come back even stronger.
"I learned a lot in that fight,” he said. “We learn a lot in wins, but we will learn so much more in losses, and just going back to the drawing board, making sure our bodies heal properly. I had a few months to get surgery, get healed up, get patched up, and now I'm ready to go to war once again."
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If war is what Saaiman was looking for in his next opponent, he'll definitely get that against fellow Dana White's Contender Series alum Talbott. The Nevada native secured a submission win against Nick Aguirre his first time out and will look to do the same in his sophomore outing against Saaiman.
"I think people actually underestimate how hard (Talbott) works,” Saaiman said. “I think he looks like a chill, laid-back guy who likes falling off motorcycles and skateboarding, but I do think he works very hard. I think he's super explosive and very athletic, and he deserves to be here, and we both deserve to be here. I don't think either of us hesitated, so both of us are expecting a three-round war. If it finishes before that, great, and I'm going to try to make it look as easy as possible."
Both still under 25, these two are likely an important part of the division's future, promising a fierce battle regardless of who gets their hand raised.
Reflecting on his journey from the Contender Series to the UFC, Saaiman acknowledges the growth and evolution he's undergone since entering the Octagon.
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"In terms of the athletes you saw on the Contender Series and the athlete you see now, I think the biggest difference is attention to detail." Saaiman told UFC.com, "I do think that the UFC is the best in the world for a reason; it forces you to evolve quickly, it forces you to step up to the plate. And you know, at the end of the day, if you can't do that, you're gonna sink quite quickly. I do think that we've achieved that, and we'll continue to do that."
Looking ahead to the rest of 2024, Saaiman has big plans. From International Fight Week to the possibility of a UFC event in Africa alongside his countryman, teammate and middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, he's ready to seize every opportunity that comes his way. Representing South Africa on the global stage is a dream come true for Saaiman, and he's determined to be added to the list of South African champions.
"Once Uncle Dana decides to go to South Africa with the UFC. Dricus and I will be one phone call away. We'll be ready."
UFC Fight Night: Ribas vs Namajunas took place on March 23, 2024 live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. See the final Prelim and Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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