Two years after one of the best FFC KO’s, Luka Jelčić is coming back to fight for one of the European best fighting sports promotions. In this upcoming lightweight title match, his opponent will be Italy’s Danilo Belluardo.
“During his preps in one of the world’s best gyms, Luka additionally improved his game and now it’s time to show it off in the ring. On his way to achieving his big goals, the potential win and FFC title would mean a lot for his career especially because of the fact that this time he is to fight in front of his hometown audience, friends and family.”
It has been two years since your last FFC match, what took you so long? In the meantime your whole life turned upside down and now you live and train in Ireland. Briefly, how did it come to this?
“My life is in fact the same as before, I work hard and persistently push myself to the top with the same person I always have next to me, with the same motive and with even greater desire that grows day by day. I enjoy this journey. My environment changed due to financial crisis in my family. I knew head coach at SBG-in, John Kavanagh, for five years and I saw a chance to live off of what I love to do. Things have coincided and here I am where I am now and I only look ahead. I am motivated by all the things that I have gained through hard work. ”
Tell us about your SBG team. We are familiar with some coaches because they worked with UFC fighters, especially Conor McGregor. Tell us more about your trainings. Who is preparing you for this fight and who will be in you corner in the Zagreb Arena?
“John Kavanagh is my head coach for all aspects of MMA, Owen Roddy my coach when it comes to punching techniques and Sergey Pikulskiy for wrestling. Mark Comiskey is responsible for my strength and conditioning, Matin Zolfaghari helps me with Muay Thai and Danny Lennon is my nutritionist. John organizes sparring sessions, supervises them and sharpens some details. All my other coaches help me with other technical aspects of my game. All those people help me run my career together with my manager Adrian Errity and sponsors who make things easier.
I will have John and other team members in my corner that will help me to warm up.”
How much do you think you have grown as a fighter and in which segments the most?
“Everyone who knows me knows I am MMA fighter. I am a kid from Zagreb who used to fight on the streets ever since I was little and I will bring that violence with me to the ring at the Arena on December 17. This is the only thing I know. But if you want me to sound more politically and socially correct, fighting sports taught me discipline and I learned new techniques to be even better at fighting. So if you ask me if I’ve grown, I can tell you that this is exactly where I improved. I improved in fighting and inflicting damage to my opponents.”
In this title bout you will fight quite confident Italian fighter Danilo Belluardo. You’ve probably seen his statements about you, but could you briefly comment his approach before the fight?
“I enter every fight with same approach and the same objective, which is to inflict as much damage and enjoy the process. I don’t care if someone talks nice or bad about me, if he’s good or bad man. I do my job. If someone wants to trash me before the fight, fine, he can have it that way. I will just enjoy standing above his injured body in the ring even more.”
How do you see him as a fighter?
“At the end of the day, he is just like any opponent, just a bunch of meat in front of me. He will also end up on the same pile with other guys I beat.”
In large part thanks to Conor, a lot of SBG fighters recently signed with the UFC. Do you think you are also close to the UFC deal?
“After he defended his title for the first time, Stipe Miočić said he wants his next title defense in Croatia. I will also soon win my second title in one of the best promotions in the world. I was born and raised in Zagreb, I finish my fights and I constantly improve. I am convinced I will enter the Octagon soon. I will deserve this chance. I keep quiet and I work hard. I show who I am in the ring. I believe I will make my UFC debut at the Zagreb Arena next year.”
What is actually the situation in Ireland? We all know that Conor made whole country crazy about MMA. Is MMA now popular in Ireland? Are there many new gyms and promotions?
“Fighting sports have always been popular in Ireland and people in general really like fights. The kids are fighting on the streets and then they come to gym. That’s somehow natural order of things here. They are very polite but also tough people. MMA is now No1 sport worldwide and people here are crazy about it. They have the best and the most popular fighter in the world and it is only logical to see such a MMA craze here.”
Are you happy you’re about to return to Zagreb fight in front of your hometown audience?
“I would like to thank the FCC for the invitation to this event and this chance to fight for the belt. I’ve already said that I like belts, especially since I won my first one in Dublin. Now I have the opportunity to repeat that scenario, and this in my hometown! I certainly intend to do that.”