Submitting or knocking out Ivanov would be a major achievement for Tybura, who has nothing but admiration for the skill and toughness his opponent brings to the table.
Ivanov has only been beaten four times in his 24 career professional fights, three by decision and once by submission, and all at the hands of top competition (Augusto Sakai, Derrick Lewis, Junior Dos Santos, Alexander Volkov ). Adding a win over Ivanov would be the perfect start to 2023 for Tybura, who is determined to make a statement with his performance.
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“I based everything I did in this fight on the goal of finishing the fight. We made a game plan and improved everywhere. It’s all there in my mind,” Tybura told UFC.com. “He’s a badass. Some might say he’s ranked lower than me, but I don’t think he’s far behind those guys in the top 10. I see Blagoy as a very tough guy who really struggles to finish and c is my biggest challenge.
Tybura approached every second of this training camp for Ivanov with the intention of finishing the fight as quickly as possible. That maximum effort in training is something Tybura is confident will translate when the two heavyweights collide.
