"The weight cut went smoothly for the Chris Day matchup, but I know I could've been sharper in strength work and conditioning," O'Connor noted.
"I hit a wall late in that fight, and I want to dial in my conditioning to avoid that from happening again."
At 5'8", O'Connor is set to clash with the considerably taller Caceres, who measures 6'2" with a 74-inch wingspan.
Given Caceres' size advantage, O'Connor emphasized the importance of establishing distance quickly and working from there.
"My plan is to lock onto my range right away," O'Connor explained.
"I have to acknowledge his length, but I'm not going to back down from the fight itself. He's a dangerous opponent, but I won't hold back. Once I get my distance dialed in, I'm coming with everything I've got."
Caceres' Road Ahead
Caceres returned to action earlier this year at Road to M-1 USA 4, falling to Michael Lombardo by unanimous decision.
He acknowledged that he didn't start fast enough in that contest and plans to adjust his approach heading into the O'Connor bout.
"I ramped things up and began stringing strikes together in rounds two and three, but I was too passive in the opening frame, which almost cost me," Caceres admitted.
"I need to come out explosive and keep the pressure high to shift the fight's momentum in my favor."
Throughout his career, Caceres has taken on elite regional talent, most notably becoming the sole fighter to hand current UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman a loss.
That history of facing top-level opposition fuels Caceres' self-assurance every time he steps inside the octagon.
"I've never backed out of a fight, and I've crossed paths with many of the sport's biggest names. Maybe people didn't realize how good Kamaru would become back then, but when others hesitated to step in, I took the shot because I had nothing to lose," Caceres shared.
"Fighting guys like Sabah Homasi, Colby Covington, Rodrigo Vargas, and Niko Price tested me in ways that forced me to adapt and grow. I took a lot away from those battles, and they've given me the belief I can face anyone in the cage."
Caceres has repeatedly shown he's a danger on the mat, converting 12 of his 15 career wins by submission.
He's confident he holds the grappling advantage against O'Connor on fight night and has a strategy to take the bout to the ground where he can leverage that skill gap.
"I believe I bring the grappling edge because I doubt he's ever faced someone with my level of technique, understanding, and experience," Caceres stated.
"My coaching staff sees my unusual striking as a tool to force an earlier clinch or takedown, pulling the fight into the space where I thrive."
O'Connor's Shoutouts
"I'd like to thank all my friends and family who surround me every day, my girlfriend Shannon Brezina, my parents, Progressive Fighting Academy, Hard Training, all my training partners, Canadian Martial Arts Centre, Brad Wall, my sponsors (Front Line Towing, Bain Jiu-Jitsu), and XFC for this opportunity." Follow O'Connor on social media: FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM
Caceres' Shoutouts
"I would like to thank Manolo Lopez, Ray Foundura, my brother Alex Caceres, my mom and dad for constantly supporting me, all my teammates at Freedom Fighters MMA, and First Round Management for getting me the fight." Follow Caceres on social media: INSTAGRAM
