UFC: ‘The Tibetan Eagle’ Su Mudaerji trains his ‘laser beam’ left hand on flyweights
- Rising Chinese star returns to action against Zarrukh Adashev at UFC Fight Island 8
- ‘Speed is my strength,’ says Su – ‘I’m just out there trying to be humble and to be myself’
It took Su Mudaerji just 44 seconds to formerly lay down his credentials in the UFC’s flyweight division – and to lay out opponent Malcolm Gordon.
With the straight left to the face that set up the end of their bout on the UFC Vegas 15 card on November 28 came adulation from the cageside commentary team, with Paul Felder in particular going nuts.
But “The Tibetan Eagle” (13-4) says he was oblivious to all the fanfare, such is the 24-year-old Su’s focus on climbing the ranks in a division that has been reborn in the past year, thanks to the exploits of Brazilian champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-1-1), and the fighters – such as Su – who have been trailing in his wake.
“I wasn’t taking the comments seriously, or checking on what people were saying. I’m just out there trying to be humble and to be myself,” is how Su recalls the win over Canada’s Gordon (12-5).
“I felt so good after that last fight. I had prepared a lot, for three rounds, but I had thought about the KO as well. It came faster than I thought. I thought he would last until the second round.”