Unbeaten Rob Wilkinson not stressing out about losing one day ahead of UFC Rotterdam

ROTTERDAM – It’s been more than four years since Rob Wilkinson had a fight that went the distance.

Against Siyar Bahadurzada on Saturday night in the UFC Fight Night 115 co-main event, he doesn’t plan on reverting back to that lone non-finish on his 11-fight resume. And in doing so, the Australian UFC newcomer said he plans on showing fans just who he is.

Wilkinson (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) fights Siyar Bahadurzada (22-6-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC) in the co-feature at UFC Fight Night 115, which takes place at Ahoy Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The entire event streams on UFC Fight Pass.

“I’m really excited to show the world who I am and what style of fighter I am,” Wilkinson said. “I’m quite aggressive. I push forward, and I usually get on top and finish the fight there, so we’ll see what happens. I see myself finishing the fight within two rounds, either with ground-and-pound or a submission.”

Bahadurzada will be coming back after 18 months away. Layoffs have been the mark of his UFC career. Saturday will be just his fifth fight in the octagon in more than five years with the promotion.

But Wilkinson hasn’t fought in 11 months, himself. He said some injuries kept him away after a submission over Alexander Poppeck for the Euro FC promotion. But he feels healthy now, and isn’t taking Bahadurzada lightly, despite his opponent’s layoff.

“He’s a good opponent, like everyone in the UFC will be,” Wilkinson said. “He’s aggressive, he throws wild strikes and he knocks people out. But I’m confident in my abilities to pick him apart and put my game plan on him.”

The 25-year-old Wilkinson has made a habit of getting in the cage and getting out quickly. Of his 11 wins, nine are first-round stoppages. And obviously he has yet to taste defeat.

But he knows it’s probably not reasonable to presume he’ll go his entire career without losing. He doesn’t think about the unbeaten record, he said – but he also isn’t looking over his shoulder wondering how he’ll respond to a loss if it happens.

“I don’t stress about it,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to come soon, but every fighter loses eventually. When that happens, I’ll definitely try to learn from it. But I don’t see it happening any time soon.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 115, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.