Mairbek Taisumov aiming for UFC Fight Night 38 win, slot at May's Berlin event

NATAL, Brazil – Mairbek Taisumov looks to be a solid UFC prospect at 155 pounds, and if he has his way, you be getting very familiar with him very fast.

After picking up a January win in his UFC debut, Taisumov wasted little time in booking a second octagon appearance, which takes place at Sunday’s UFC Fight Night 38 event. And if all goes according to plan, his third UFC bout will also come in quick order.

“If there’s no injury, I want to fight in Berlin,” Taisumov told MMAjunkie. “I always want to fight. Before, when I was in other organizations, I had to wait so long for fights. I would fight just two or three times a year.

“I’m a young fighter. I want to fight more, if it’s possible.”

Taisumov was born in the Russian federal subject of Chechnya but now lives in Austria. However, he admits he spends little time in his adopted homeland, instead choosing to focus largely on training at Thailand’s Tiger Muay Thai rather than worry about free time.

In January, the 25-year-old made his UFC debut in Singapore, picking up an impressive decision win over Tae Hyun Bang. It was Taisumov’s fourth-straight win, and he improved to 9-1 in his past 10 overall fights.

Taisumov admitted he felt the dreaded “octagon jitters” in his debut but was happy with the result.

“I felt some pressure,” Taisumov admitted. “It was my first fight in the UFC, and I was a little bit nervous. But it’s OK. The main thing is I won the fight. I was happy with the decision.”

On Sunday, Taisumov meets Michel Prazeres on the FOX Sports 1-broadcast main card of UFC Fight Night 38, which takes place at Ginasio Nelio Dias in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

Taisumov said he feels a little more comfortable ahead of his second UFC appearance, but he hesitates to make any promises.

“I feel more relaxed now, but we’ll see on Sunday,” Taisumov joked.

And while Taisumov insists he certainly isn’t looking past his opponent, he does admit he’s considering what could come next. If he’s able to get through the fight without too many bumps and bruises, “Beckan” would like to book a slot on the UFC’s recently-announced UFC Fight Night 41 event, which takes place May 31 in Berlin, a short trip from his home in Austria.

If successful, he could very will be 3-0 in the UFC less than six months after his octagon debut. And while he competes in perhaps the deepest division in the sport, it would certainly be an enviable position.

“We will see,” Taisumov said. “I don’t want to talk about what can happen in the future. Step by step, we will see. I just want to have some good fights and pick up some wins.”

For the latest on UFC Fight Night 38, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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