A rising Canadian featherweight talent has linked up with one of the top management firms in mixed martial arts.
In December, Lucas Neufeld inked a deal with Iridium Sports Agency, a roster that also features UFC standouts Brandon Moreno, Marlon Vera, Casey Kenney, Chan Sung Jung, James Krause, Walt Harris, and others.
The 27-year-old Neufeld told MMA Empire he feels positioned to take a major leap in his career and is optimistic about a strong 2021 season ahead.
"My body, my will, my mind is ready to be at the top, to be at my best, and to make a real run at this thing," said Neufeld.
"Lance (Spaude) truly believes I'm one good win away from Contender Series. I thought I wasn't going to be looked at by the UFC until 10 wins, that's kind of the benchmark I was striving for. But Lance says otherwise. I trust him and what his expertise are."
Before settling on Iridium, Neufeld spoke with a handful of other management outfits.
According to Neufeld, the Iridium team stood out above the rest during their discussions, making it obvious they were the right match for his trajectory.
"They were most excited and ambitious to work with me, and that made me feel really good about the relationship," said Neufeld.
"I pursued them, and they were more than happy to sign with me."
Beyond easier access to fight bookings, Neufeld is stepping into territory he hasn't navigated before.
With Iridium handling the logistics behind the scenes, he can devote his full attention to training instead of juggling the stress of securing bouts.
"I know now that I can just focus on my job, my part of it, my training, my performance," said Neufeld.
"The rest, I know they'll take care of that. When they see that I'm ready to go out and win a Contender Series fight, I'll be there."
After a packed 2018 where he fought on three occasions, Neufeld has seen limited action in recent years, though he's been actively pursuing matchups.
Now with Iridium aboard, Neufeld expects 2021 to be far more active, noting that his current training camp kicked off on Feb. 1.
"This is happening. There's no hoping I get in a fight this year; we are getting in a fight this year. It's happening," said Neufeld.
"I hope it's Z-Promotions Fight Night, but if it's someone else, I just need to fight."
