Debuting Pietro Menga has a warning for Tim Elliott ahead of UFC Winnipeg
Menga is ready to put the UFC's bantamweight division on notice
Joe Rimmer
Pietro Menga takes on Tim Elliott at UFC Winnipeg. Photo by Adam Crowther.
Pietro Menga has waited a long time for his UFC debut and he finally has it - at just two weeks' notice.
Despite having a lack of time to plan for the event, the MMA Academy star says that he's enjoying every moment - and is ready to punish opponent Tim Elliott.
Menga, who boasts a perfect 13-0 record, has a tough ask in his first UFC bout against former title contender Elliott. The American challenged for Demetrious Johnson's bantamweight title as recently as December last year.
Menga told the ECHO: "I've finally made it! I'm really excited. I'm lapping it all up. I have a big smile on my face and I have had all week. I am enjoying the moment. It's something that I've worked towards for a very long time and it's finally all coming to fruition. All the sacrifices are finally paying off.
"It's so important for me to enjoy the moment, especially with the circumstances of it being on such short notice. There isn't much more I can do than go out and try to take the guy's head off. I've got no pressure on me whatsoever. It feels really strange because there's usually so much pressure when I fight, but now I'm here and there isn't any pressure.
"The pressure is all on him. It's curtains for him if he makes one false move and this fight gets finished by my hands. I think if anyone is feeling the pressure it's going to be him right now."
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30-year-old Elliott is coming into the fight after a submission loss to Ben Nguyen in New Zealand earlier this year - a fight Menga wanted - and will hope to take advantage of Menga coming into the fight on late notice.
But Menga, whose training base MMA Academy is in Liverpool city centre, has warned that Elliott will pay for overlooking him.
He said: "What more can you ask for on two week's notice? I don't want no slouch. I want someone who is going to bring the best out of me, someone who is going to come to war. Stylistically he is perfect for me. I think he will be walking onto shots left, right and centre. I couldn't ask for any more than a big name like this. It's a win-win situation for me.
"Underestimating me is going to be the end of his career. If he overlooks me or takes me for granted it's going to be a big, big mistake. Like it or not he will subconsciously think that I'm not going in prepared - but he is going to get hit with a steam train with an attitude like that."
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At 29, Menga feels he is coming into his prime and that he is ready to put the UFC's bantamweight division on notice.
He said: "I was pining for it three or four years ago, but now i look at myself and think that the 29-year-old me vs the 25-year-old me is a different kettle of fish. I'm a completely different animal now and I think I bring a lot more to the table. Everything happens for a reason I am so glad it happened now. I would rather take the long road less travelled.
"I feel like I can light this division up. I really do. If I need to talk, I'll talk. If I need to call people out, I will. If I need to show my skills and put people away then I will do that. I feel like I'm going to bring a full package to this division. It couldn't come at a better time."
Watch Pietro in action at UFC Fight Night: Lawler vs. Dos Anjos live on BT Sport 3 from 10pm GMT on Saturday, December 16 or catch the Early Prelims exclusively on UFC Fight Pass from 9pm