The time has come for Alex Gluzman to make the jump to the professional ranks.

Hamilton, Ont.’s Gluzman (0-0) will take on the also-debuting Karim Henniene (0-0) in a bantamweight clash at BTC 17 on Saturday night in Burlington, Ont.

After a solid 4-3 amateur career, which saw him become the amateur bantamweight champion for Cage Wars, Gluzman, 26, said he felt it was the right time to make big jump in his MMA career.

“I mean, at the end of the day, you’re amateur why? To go pro. This is not just for me, this is for everybody,” said Gluzman in an interview with MMA Empire.

“All fighters, they go amateur to make it as a pro, so obviously it’s been planned for a while. I think it was after I won the Cage Wars belt, that’s when I really thought you know what, I already won a belt, let’s go pro. That didn’t really happen quite immediate, but I think even though I lost my last fight, I still have a decent record. I’m still a G, that’s all it is. I’m just sick of amateur fights.”

Although Henniene will also be making his professional debut, Gluzman said he knows he has a tough, skilled test in front of him.

“At the end of the day, I’ll be ready for anything. That’s what it’s all going to come down to. I know Karim, honestly I never thought I would fight him. Fighting a tough guy like him, he’s very skilled. But yeah, whether he comes out one way or comes out the other way, I know he’s going to come at me and I will oblige. Good luck to him.”

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