Saad Awad always competes with fight-ending intentions but is willing to go the full 15 minutes if necessary.
Awad (23-13 MMA, 11-10 BMMA) opens up the Bellator 249 main card on Thursday when he takes on fellow finisher Mandel Nallo (7-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The bout airs live on CBS Sports Network.
With 16 first-round stoppage wins to his name, Awad said he can see himself putting Nallo away early but won’t obsess over that particular outcome.
“I always visualize it, but I try not to keep it in my head,” Awad told MMA Junkie. “Early knockout because I do have heavy hands, and I know if I land the way I want to land, it could be a short night, so I’m always visualizing it because you visualize something, a lot of times it comes through, but I’m also visualizing a three-round war. So put myself in all the bad positions, working my way out, and then getting out on top and staying in control and winning a three-round fight, if it has to go three rounds.”
Though Awad is enduring the roughest stretch of his career having lost his past four in a row, he entered most of those fights carrying injuries. It will almost have been a year since he last competed when he makes the walk Thursday, but Awad is looking forward to putting on another exciting showing.
“I’m pretty sure the matchmakers put their fan hats on when they decided to make this fight happen, so I’m excited they made it happen,” Awad said. “The guy’s a good striker, and I believe we’re going to steal the show. I mean, we got (Cris) Cyborg on the card, who usually puts on a great performance, so I think we’re going to open the show, and I think it’s going to be a good fight.”
Check out the full interview with Awad in the video below.