Paul Felder is competing this Sunday Night at UFC Fight Night Phoenix, facing James Vick in the co-main event of the show.
The lightweight contender is looking to channel his inner Mike Tyson to beat Vick this weekend.
?There?s always concern (because) everyone brings something different to the table,? Felder said to MMA Junkie Radio. ?With Vick, it?s his distance and how he moves away and his kicks and his jab and his right uppercut. There?s always something different about the approach. Without giving a gameplan away, you?ve got to learn how to get inside and attack it. Just going to channel that Mike Tyson in me, baby. Going to get inside and rip hooks and batter him wherever I can.?
Felder has won three of his last four under the UFC banner, but that lone defeat did come at welterweight.
While Felder isn?t ranked at the moment, one thing the fighter believes is that three wins in 2019 will put him into title contention by the end of the year.
?The way the division is, I think three wins in 2019 puts me close to a title eliminator and getting that,? Felder said. ?If I beat Vick, I think that puts me close to the top 10. I wouldn?t be fighting outside the top 15 at that point. I think it puts me close to the top five with three wins in 2019.?
UFC Fight Night Phoenix takes place on Sunday, February 17 from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona with Francis Ngannou and Cain Velasquez headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which airs live on ESPN.