LAS VEGAS – Xiao Long hopes UFC 326 is a coming out party.
Long (27-10 MMA, 1-2 UFC) takes on former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt (14-7 MMA, 9-7 UFC) as Saturday’s featured prelim (Paramount+, CBS) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
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“I think it will be a really, really good matchup for me with my opponent,” Long said at Wednesday’s media day through a Chinese-language interpreter. “I think the UFC has given a big trust in me.”
Although Garbrandt has struggled since losing his bantamweight title, Long knows fighting a name like that is a big opportunity for him.
“I won’t miss this chance,” Long said. “Of course I know he’s really popular and really famous in this division, but I won’t miss this chance, and I will let everybody know me.”
Long’s professional MMA record states 37 fights, which would make him far more experienced on paper than Garbrandt. However, the 27-year-old admits there are some inaccuracies in his record.
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“I think there is some mistake inside of my fight record,” Long said. “There are some fights that are not big professional fights, but it’s still professional experience for me. Of course, the last two years when I got to the Road to UFC and I fought with a grappler, it’s also a really good experience for me. I think, really not a big professional record, but it’s still good for me, experience.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Xiao Long won’t miss chance to let everyone know who he is at UFC 326
