Michael Dufort isn't holding back his self-belief, and he's set to demonstrate that conviction this Friday.
The Montreal, Que. native Dufort (8-3) faces arguably his stiffest challenge yet, going up against UFC veteran Kyle Prepolec (14-7) in the lightweight head bout at Samourai MMA 1 in Montreal.
At 27, Dufort has established himself as one of Canada's most promising lightweight talents. But he's now pushing past the prospect label.
"I consider myself an elite-level athlete," Dufort told MMA Empire. "I train alongside fighters like Olivier Aubin-Mercier, who reached the top 15 globally in the lightweight division, so our sparring sessions are incredibly intense. I'm an elite fighter, and I know I can bring serious heat to this matchup."
"I firmly believe I'm among the best lightweights worldwide right now, and I'm eager to prove it. Kyle Prepolec represents the next hurdle, and I'm fully prepared to do whatever it takes to show I'm the man."
This marks the third UFC veteran Dufort has squared off against in his brief pro career, following outings with Jesse Ronson and Kyle Nelson.
A victory over Prepolec could finally trigger the phone call Dufort has been hoping for—a UFC contract.
"I'm crossing my fingers for that call, the one we've been waiting on," Dufort said. "You know exactly what it is—the UFC. That's what we're chasing."
"There are incredible athletes coming out of Canada, and we want to show what we're made of. Hand me that contract, and I'll prove to you exactly how good I am."
Even with his unwavering self-assurance, Dufort refuses to look past Prepolec's skill set.
He holds genuine admiration for the veteran and anticipates a formidable challenge.
"He's a tremendous fighter. Anyone claiming otherwise is wrong—he competed in the UFC, he's got elite striking, and he battled Nordine Taleb, who's extremely dangerous on the feet," Dufort noted.
"I can't wait for this fight. I'm prepared for every scenario—striking exchanges, takedowns, submissions, TKOs. Whatever comes, I'm ready."
Given that six of his eight career victories have come via submission, Dufort's preferred path to victory is obvious—and he's not hiding it.
He believes his ground skills give him a significant edge over Prepolec and intends to steer the fight there.
"My jiu-jitsu is elite, and I know he can't match my grappling," Dufort explained. "I recently earned my brown belt."
"My ground game is strong, so hopefully he's been drilling takedown defense, because I'm going straight for his neck."
Dufort's Shoutouts
"I want to thank everybody that's a member of Team Dufort." Follow Dufort on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
