LAS VEGAS – Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani is all about enjoying the process in his UFC career.
Lebosnoyani (11-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will look to cap off a strong rookie year with the promotion Saturday when he takes on Farman Hasanov (5-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in a welterweight bout at Meta APEX (Paramount+), setting the stage for what could be an even bigger 2027.
"I want to be 3-0 (in the UFC) so badly," Lebosnoyani told MMA Junkie at Wednesday's media day. "I think that's been my focus this year is to remain undefeated. If I could have it my way, leave the way 3-0, healthy, give myself a little bit of rest in the last couple months of this year, then start 2027 with a bang."
Lebosnoyani, 27, has dedicated his entire life to the craft of MMA to get to this point.
Now is not the time to shift focus away from that process, and that means taking a level-headed approach to each step moving forward.
"I'm here for a long time, and a good time," Lebosnoyani said. "So I don't want to make unnecessary jumps too fast. I want the experience and to grow in this company and in this division. Gradually, step-by-step. Obviously, if there's opportunities that can't be passed up, I'm going to take those. But I want to take my time."
Although he's been solid in his two UFC wins thus far, Lebosnoyani seemingly wasn't rewarded with much of a step up. Hasanov has less UFC and professional experience, meaning the downside of a loss in this spot would be immense.
That's why Lebosnoyani trained for this fight with all his might, and he thinks he has what it takes to leave with the win.
"When looking at the tape and seeing what Farman's skills are, I was impressed," Lebosnoyani said. "He's a very strong wrestler, and he has that explosiveness that can be dangerous. The gameplan has been very focused on his skills, but also my skills. I'm looking forward to being able to show I'm a complete martial artist against him. ...
"I've been grappling my whole life, so I feel like I have the skills on the ground. I've been working on my striking for many years, so I feel like I have the skills on the feet. I think I'm a more complete fighter, and because of that, I have a lot to lose. He's much younger in his professional career, but that doesn't mean that he's not a good fighter. He's in the UFC for a reason, and they made this matchup for a reason."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Vegas 123's Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani not chasing 'unnecessary jumps' in career
