Marwan Rahiki's friend urged him to take a swing and call out Tommy McMillen. Now he has the matchup scheduled for UFC Fight Night 288 next month.
The UFC will pit two of its most compelling featherweight prospects together at Noche UFC on Sept. 12 when Rahiki (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) meets McMillen (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in a battle of undefeated fighters at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz. (Paramount+
)Some would argue this is a matchup that could've been held until further down the line, with higher stakes, but Rahiki is all about doing it now.
"I was surprised, but at the same time, I'm not that surprised," Rahiki told MMA Junkie. "The only thing that surprised me is putting undefeated against undefeated, but they just did this with Movsar Evloev
and Lerone Murphy. Someone's got to go. Someone's got to go up. Someone's got to stay where they are, and I never say no to fights. The only thing is the time (to prepare). I came here (to Morocco) to spend time with family, but when the UFC calls, I can't say no. I love this.
"This is the most exciting fight I've ever had. The first time I heard the name, I was like, 'Wow.' So happy – I don't remember myself being so happy with a fight, with the opponent. I've always wanted to fight the best guys."
Although McMillen is getting a lot of attention currently for his polarizing personality, relationship with UFC contender Sean O'Malley and his in-cage performances so far, there's a lot that Rahiki brings to the table in his own right.
Rahiki, 24, is the younger man to McMillen, 28, and has finished all nine of his career victories to this point – including five in the first round.
"It's an entertaining fight, an entertaining style and someone who isn't just going to try to run away," Rahiki said. "I think it will be a great night for Noche UFC. I think it's just perfect. He wanted a Mexican, but I think this is even better. I hope he goes and watches some Moroccan fighters and has an idea of what's coming."
McMillen requested to fight at Noche UFC off the back of his record-setting performance at UFC Fight Night 281 in July. He set a new three-round UFC record for significant strikes landed in his third-round TKO of Alberto Montes, and with that came plenty of shine.
Rahiki has a different perspective around that record, however, and is emphatic in his ability to prevent that type of striking pressure.
"When someone breaks a significant strikes record – as I see it – (just) finish the fight in the first round," Rahiki said. "I don't care about significants. I never think, 'I'm going to land the more significant strikes.' That means you don't have knockout power. That means it takes you that long. It doesn't take me that long to finish, and that's the goal this fight: Go in there to knock him out in the first round. Go in there to knock him out. If he comes forward, it will be done quick. If he stays smart, he might survive a couple of minutes. But the result will be the same.
"I am very excited about it. I hope there will be a press conference so we can see (if he's trash talk). I want that energy. That's why I'm excited. That's a guy, like a superstar, and I feel like I'm a superstar, too. But my division is different than his vision, I believe. I want to be champion. I want to be a respected champion. ... I don't want to be the villain. I have a lot of fans, a lot of great fans."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Marwan Rahiki predicts Noche UFC KO of Tommy McMillen to show he's 'superstar'
