Ignacio Bahamondes motivated by teammate Belal Muhammad

Ignacio Bahamondes has seen first hand what his crew can produce with onerous work and expertise, and that could be a UFC championship title.

Coaching alongside newly topped UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, Bahamondes (16-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) has picked up loads of inspiration to make his dream come to a actuality. “La Jaula,” a 27-year-old title hopeful within the UFC’s light-weight division, will get his first massive step in the direction of the belt, as he takes on his first ever ranked opponent – Jalin Turner. The 2 battle it out on the primary card of this Saturday’s UFC 313 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) at T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas.

Bahamondes is keen for the chance and is coming into a combat extra motivated than ever.

“In fact, after all, he confirmed me the trail himself,” Bahamondes informed Hablemos MMA in Spanish when requested if Muhammad has given him extra motivation. “He confirmed me the way it must be finished, and he had the hardest path of all of them. He had a method harder path than anybody. Lots of people received UFC belts a lot simpler than him. He had 10 consecutive wins and was with out a title. That’s silly.

“He confirmed me that with pure onerous work and consistency, I could make it, too. It’s only a matter of time. I’m relaxed. I don’t need it tomorrow or subsequent 12 months. I simply fear about doing issues the proper method, as a result of if I maintain doing issues the best way I’ve been doing them, I’ll get there, and I will likely be UFC champion.”

Bahamondes performed a task in Muhammad’s coaching camp for his title successful efficiency in opposition to then champion Leon Edwards in July 2024. He was one among Muhammad’s predominant sparring companions at Valle Circulation Hanging.

The Chilean fighter, who doesn’t like toying round with UFC titles, remembers very nicely what it felt like informed to carry an undisputed UFC title.

“The reality is that I’ve solely touched one belt, and that was Belal’s, and just one time as a result of I’ve a rule: I’ll by no means maintain a UFC belt till it’s my very own,” Bahamondes mentioned. “Julianna (Peña)’s belt I didn’t contact, identical with Yair (Rodriguez), however with Belal it was totally different, as a result of he hit me each sparring session for that combat. I informed him, ‘I’m a part of this victory. I don’t need a image with it. I simply wish to maintain it and take a look at it.’ So I grabbed it, I felt how a lot it weighed, and I gave it again to him.”

The sensation of holding a UFC title didn’t really feel overseas to Bahamondes. He’s envisioned himself as UFC champion and envisioned himself beating Turner (14-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) this Saturday, and taking a spot within the UFC official light-weight rankings.

“You realize, after I grabbed it, it felt prefer it belonged, I don’t know,” Bahamondes mentioned. “I felt prefer it was mine. I didn’t really feel prefer it was one thing new, like when somebody returns your telephone. It felt very regular, so let’s make it occur.”

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