David Branch ready for step up in competition vs. Luke Rockhold at UFC Fight Night 116

PITTSBURGH – David Branch has been on big stages before. When you’re a two-division champion, you get used to being in big fights.

Branch held the middleweight and light heavyweight belts at the same time for WSOF before he turned them loose to re-sign with the UFC earlier this year. On Saturday, Branch (21-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) fights in his first UFC main event when he meets former UFC and Strikeforce champ Luke Rockhold (15-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 116.

The show takes place at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, and it airs on FS1 following an early prelim on UFC Fight Pass.

But for Branch, even though Rockhold has big-time accolades and is fighting for the first time since losing his belt in June 2016, it’s just another fight.

“I don’t want to disrespect anyone else who feels like it’s the biggest opportunity, but for me it’s another day in the office,” Branch told MMAjunkie today after a workout in Pittsburgh. “I’ve been on this stage before, just in other organizations in the main (event). I’m not going to make it anything bigger than that.

“Every fight is important for me to get to my goal, which is why I came to the Ultimate Fighting Championship – to get the belt. I’ve already done everything there is to do outside the UFC, and that’s why I’m here right now.”

Branch said the opportunity to fight Rockhold, though, was a big one for him because he and his team believe they’re a step above him. And that could mean a much quicker path to middleweight title contention, even though Branch doesn’t want to look past Saturday.

Rockhold is a prohibitive betting favorite in the fight, checking in with better than 5-1 odds. But those don’t seem to matter much to Branch and his team.

“My management told me it was a possibility that I could fight (Rockhold),” Branch said. “I told my corner, and they said, ‘You better fight him.’ They said, ‘You take this fight, you’re going to beat the hell out of this kid. Take this fight – we’re big-game hunters.’

“As soon as I knew it was an opportunity for me to take the fight, and they asked, ‘Hey, do you want the fight?’ I said, ‘Hell yes. Hell yes. Hell yes.'”

For more from Branch, check out the video above.

And for more on UFC Fight Night 116, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.