LAS VEGAS – It was fun for reality television, but Ilimbek Akylbek says that's not real life.
Ahead of the "TUF 34" bantamweight final bout Saturday that is part of UFC Fight Night 289 at Meta APEX, Akylbek (10-3) said he's not shook by the trash talk, nor the hype of Osmanli (12-1).
"Regarding the conflict, yeah there was a little bit of a conflict at the end of the season," Akylbek told MMA Junkie and other reporters Wednesday through a Russian-language interpreter. "But it was during the sparring. There's nothing personal to me. This is not something I want to say that is a personal thing between me and him. I want to call it specifically sports. Sometimes, things like that happen in sports and training and sparring. My job is to come out there in the octagon
and make sure to answer all the questions inside the octagon and take the victory."
Akylbek and Osmanli were teammates on "Team Bisping" on the reality series, but things soured after a training session conflict. Osmanli accused Akylbek of elbowing him in the face to escape a submission and even went so far as to challenge him to a fight.
On Saturday, they'll get the chance to do just that. Osmanli enters with comparisons already being drawn to brash MMA youngsters of yesteryear like Conor McGregor. Akylbek is letting that roll off him, however. He indicated he doesn't even view Osmanli as the best guy he's fought.
"I wouldn't say he's the toughest opponent that I've had," Akylbek said. "I think people are maybe singling him out because he's tall. He's a lefty. Maybe that's why. He's a little bit awkward in that way potentially. But I'm not singling him out as somebody who is tougher than the other opponents that I've had. I think that every opponent is tough, every fight is important. I prepare for all of that. My job is to come out there and get the victory by any means necessary."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ilimbek Akylbek downplays Mehemmedeli Osmanli rivalry, abilities ahead of TUF 34 final
