Zach Makovsky‘s primary goal throughout his mixed martial arts career has been to prove he’s the best of the best in whatever weight class he chooses to compete in.
While that mentality—in addition to a versatile skill set—has allowed him to pick up multiple championships across smaller stages in the sport, he’s yet to reach the pinnacle of becoming a UFC champion.
With that said, “Fun Size” has made solid strides toward making that dream a reality during his time under the UFC banner, as the Pennsylvania native has found victory in all but one of his four showings inside the Octagon.
Furthermore, Makovsky has done so against tough competition, and his efficiency and consistency have made him a major player in the steadily-growing flyweight division.
Yet in order for the Firas Zahabi-trained fighter to carve out his place in the divisional title picture, he’s going to need a victory over one of the elite members of the upper tier at 125 pounds. The 32-year-old veteran will get his biggest opportunity to date when he faces former title challenger and flyweight powerhouse John Dodson at UFC 187 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Where the natural competitor inside Makovsky allows him to get up for every fight without need for additional motivation, his upcoming tilt with “The Magician” comes with an additional storyline attached, as friendship and mutual respect exist between the two elite-level fighters.
Nevertheless, both are determined to get their hands on championship gold in the UFC and have put all emotions aside going into the fight.
“Honestly I was a little torn because John [Dodson] and I are somewhat friends,” Makovsky told Bleacher Report. “It wasn’t my first choice of opponent, but at the same time, I knew when they offered it how huge of an opportunity it was. I talked to John about it and there are no hard feelings. There’s nothing personal and it’s just part of competing in this sport. This is a huge opportunity for me. He’s the second-ranked flyweight in the world and he’s been in there and fought for the title. It would be a great win for me.”
Makovsky is looking at Dodson as the dangerous threat he is, and the fact that a win on Saturday would put him in the thick of the title hunt is an additional detail to be acknowledged rather than focused upon.
He knows there is an ample amount of risk and reward threaded through his upcoming tilt with the Ultimate Fighter winner, but he’s lending far more attention to what Dodson will bring to the table on fight night, as opposed to what the fruits of his labor could produce in the aftermath.
Granted, there’s nothing he wants more than a chance to compete for the flyweight strap later in the year, but the Pittsburgh-based former Bellator champion knows he needs to be complete in the here and now on fight night—not worried about what could possibly happen down the road.
“I believe I match up very well with John,” Makovsky explained. “I think he’s one of the fastest and most athletic guys in the division. He’s one of the more explosive guys in the entire UFC, and he uses those skills to his advantage. He uses his speed and power to the fullest, and I’m going to do my best to take those things away from him.
“I think overall I have a larger skill set and can do more things MMA-wise. I just can’t get caught up playing his game too much because he’s dangerous. He has been able to pretty much do damage to everyone he’s faced with his left hand, and that’s something i definitely have to be careful of. I need to impose my game and not let him dance around on the outside and throw that left hand.”
While Makovsky is poised to step into the biggest bout of his career at UFC 187 on Saturday night, a large portion of his dream in MMA has already been fulfilled.
Just making it to the ranks of the UFC roster was an ambition forged in the early stages of his career, and it served as his primary motivation up until he made his successful promotional debut by defeating Scott Jorgensen at UFC on Fox 9 in December of 2013.
With one big achievement already marked off his list and a pair of additional wins moving him up the divisional hierarchy, Makovsky is ready to prove he’s a legitimate threat to the flyweight title.
He will need a defeat Dodson to set that status in stone, and that’s precisely what he intends to do at UFC 187.
“It’s been great fighting in the UFC,” Makovsky said. “It is the place you want to be if you are a fighter. There’s no MMA fighter that doesn’t want to fight in the UFC. It’s the highest level of competition and there is no other place that brings as much visibility and attention as the UFC does. It’s also the organization that provides the best chance for a fighter to make a living for themselves.
“Ever since I started in MMA, my goal has been to reach the UFC. It was one of my major goals coming up as a fighter. Now I’m here and I’m a couple of fights [in] and now I’m ready to make a run at the title. I really feel like I’m one big win away from that. He [Dodson] was supposed to fight for the title before he got injured and I think the winner of this fight should get the next title shot.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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