Marc Diakiese vs Reza Madadi set for UFC 204 in Manchester

Marc ‘Bonecrusher’ Diakiese’s opponent for UFC 204 in Manchester on the 8th October 2016 has finally been announced and the ASW standout is facing the experienced Swede Reza ‘Mad Dog’ Madadi.

Diakiese (9-0) is coming off an impressive first round finish of the highly touted and previously undefeated Kane Mousah at BAMMA 25. There were rumours circulating that BAMMA were lining up Diakiese to face current BAMMA World Champion Martin ’50cal’ Stapleton until the UFC call came.

Madadi (14-4) has been somewhat inconsistent over the last five (3-2), but is coming off a third round TKO of Yan Cabral back in May and has arguably faced the stiffer competition, and the Swede has never been stopped in a professional contest.

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Diakiese previously spent a few months preparing for Jack McGann at Allstars Gym in Stockholm, Sweden where Madadi trains.

“It is what it is” says Diakiese “I just thought this is the fight game. If he wants to be friends after I would like to because he’s a good guy. But it’s business at the end of the day. I’m trying to feed my family and so is he. I believe in what I am doing. I am training three times a day. At the end of the day he’ll be coming to take my head off…and I will be looking to take his off too. It is a fight.”

The familiarity does breed confidence in the debuting Brit: “I can’t see a way he can dominate. I’m a lot stronger a lot faster… I keep telling everyone, Scott (Askham) and my coach (Darren Morris) I can see a stoppage coming, I can see a first round stoppage, I’m not going to rush or look for anything silly, but I can feel a first round stoppage.”

Diakiese acknowledges that his opponent “has heart” and back when they trained together Madadi held his own: “If it is was back then when I went down there, I know now though I’m not even close to the same fighter. He has experience. But I truly believe in myself, and my abilities and I know that I am going to go there and put everything out there!”

By @SteveCA_MMA