Emil Meek on Kamaru Usman: ‘This is the kind of fight that I live for’

Emil Meek announced himself to the world with a brutal first-round knockout of one of the scariest submissions specialists in MMA, Rousimar Palhares, in May 2016 at Venator FC 3.

The victory put “Valhalla” on the map internationally and it wasn’t long before the UFC came calling. In his first fight under the banner he proved his win over the Brazilian was no fluke when he took a decision over notoriously gritty welterweight, Jordan Mein.

Although Meek has been sidelined since the UFC 206 win he has been rewarded with a meeting against surging Nigerian, Kamaru Usman.

Usman is riding a ten-fight win streak – his six consecutive wins in the UFC are the most in the welterweight division – and most recently made a huge statement regarding his title aspirations with a first-round knockout of Sergio Moraes.

Many feel as though Usman is just a couple of wins away from a title shot and Meek insists he is thriving as he approaches one of the toughest tests that his division can offer at the moment.

“This is the kind of fight that I live for,” Meek told MMAFighting.com. “It awakens me.

“Maybe I’m damaged goods or something, but those monster fights where it can possibly lead you into better positions and give you a huge reward…those are the kinds of fights that I like.

“When I say monster fights, I think of the Palhares fight. Those are the kind of fights that keep me on edge.

“A fight like this makes me feel like I have to sacrifice everything I have to win and that’s when I feel I perform at my best. When there is a lot of pressure and I feel as though one slip up could cost me the fight, those are the kinds of fights that I like to have.”

Perhaps the most impressive thing about his win over Mein was how Meek managed to rally after he suffered a broken rib in the first round of the bout.

“Young Gun” was in the ascendency up until that point, but after regaining composure, Meek cracked him with a big shot of his own and he took the next two rounds to claim the unanimous decision win.

“I’ve got a huge advantage over other people because when it really matters, that’s when I perform at my best,” he said, recalling his bout with Mein.

“In training, I can get beat up by amateur guys or low-level pros, but when I go into the Octagon and everything is one the line, that’s when I perform the best. I’m really thankful for that ability.”

Unfortunately for Meek, the injured rib forced him out of action for an extended period of time. Eventually, the Norwegian welterweight was slated for a date with Nordine Taleb, but was forced to withdraw from the contest due to an undisclosed injury.

“It absolutely sucks with injuries, but it’s a part of the game,” Meek said.

“Everyone gets injured at some point in their career. When things like that happen all you can do is try to stay strong and get the best out of it.

“For me, I know this is a part of the sport. I’ve been injured before and I came back stronger every time. This is no different. I’ll be ready and feeling awesome.

“Of course it was frustrating, but now I’m back and that’s all that matters.”

Regardless of the stumbling blocks he has suffered since signing with the UFC, Meek knows that a win over Usman will propel him to new heights in the welterweight division.

“I don’t think he has lost a single round in the UFC yet. He’s not going to beat me, but if he did, he would probably get a really highly ranked fighter that could put him in contention for the belt.

“That’s my plan, so let’s see whose dream comes true,” he said.

“I didn’t fight my ass off for no reason and give up everything I have to be an average fighter in the UFC. I’m not here to fight the mid-ranked guys, I want to fight the very best.

“This is the kind of fight that can open a lot of doors. It makes my heart burst into flames. I know the whole world be watching and that’s when I’m at my best.”