For his third UFC fight, Basharat gets his most battle-hardened assignment yet in the form of Taylor Lapilus, who made a successful return to the roster with a victory in Paris on the same day Basharat earned his victory by submission against Rodrigues.
Lapilus, who went 3-1 during his first 18-month stint on the roster in the mid-2010s, is someone Basharat had on his radar from the beginning. When “Double Impact” made his Octagon debut in 2015, Basharat was just getting into the sport.
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“I think it’s legit,” Basharat said. “He is fantastic, calm, experienced. He has been in the game for a long time. Being from Europe and him being from Europe, I’ve known him for a long time on the European scene. That’s why I’m so excited. He’s definitely my toughest opponent so far. At the same time, I have so much confidence in myself. I think I’m really too much for him.