To debut in the biggest MMA promotion in the world on short notice can be a nerve-racking affair. Many household UFC names did crumble under the spotlights and claimed how real the infamous Octagon jitters can feel once you set foot in there for the first time, especially with little to no time to prepare.
Just a few days shy of his first ever UFC appearance, lightweight Alex Coelho finds himself in this exact situation while he makes the final preparations to take on six-fight Octagon veteran Alexander Yakovlev. He fights in the Russian’s home country, in a bout he accepted with just 16 days before the event.