Phumi Nkuta is one of the world’s top fighters currently unsigned by the UFC, and the highly skilled flyweight wants to compete not only within the Octagon, but the WWE Ring as well.
The next test for Nkuta took place this Friday at LFA 211, facing former promotional champion Cody Davis at the co-main event held at Salamanca “Turbo” in New York, and began his journey in the world of professional wrestling, winning a title like CFFC. In fact, Nkuta played his first match against former WWE superstar and UFC fighter Matt Riddle, giving an impressive performance.
The 29-year-old was asked if he had to choose between the two as Nkuta wanted to compete for both the UFC and WWE.
“I’d look like I’m seeing the manager, and told him, ‘My friends, they’re both under one company, you have to let me run through both,” Nkuta told MMA Fighting. So obviously, I’ve trained my whole life for mixed martial arts. I’ve been the head of the UFC since I was a kid. I’ve always wanted to be in the UFC. I have trained my whole life to join the UFC. That’s what I want first. If I had to, I would take that option first, but at the end of the day, man, I don’t think there are other athletes on earth that are doing what I’m doing, you know what I mean?
“And there’s no rudeness to anyone. It’s not cheeky, not arrogant, but it’s named another professional athlete in the world trained by Ray Longo, Matt Serra, and trained by one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the amazing red. It would look okay to do that.” And I can’t get on the microphone and get the chance to prove I can.
“TKO is one of the big WWE and UFC companies. Why isn’t there a single athlete who can become a star at both at the same time?”
Nkuta hopes that his performance against a pioneering and dangerous opponent will ultimately get UFC opportunities, a short notice fight and even an elusive call to the spot in the upcoming season of Dana White’s competitor series.
Longtime training partner of UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili and former champion Aljamain Sterling have been ready for that call for quite some time, but acknowledges that building an experience aimed at that goal can help.
However, once he receives the call, Nkuta plans to remain incredibly busy and hopes in the future he can shine in the best MMA and professional wrestling organizations.
“(My goal) I’m in RAW on Monday. Then I’m going to join the PLE that Saturday. Then I’ll do a short notification fight and fight again for the UFC at the top and so on. “I’m just hungry. I’m training hard. I’m in Las Vegas now, so if you want to be a fighter, I’m in the perfect vibe, so I’m getting better.”
“Yeah, you rack them up, give them something in WWE, give them something in UFC, I don’t think anyone has a belt in both.
“TKO really shows that it’s a true home like fighting not only the UFC, but also the WWE, not just the general sport, but also reaching out in jiu-jitsu and winning hands in boxing and wrestling.
“But as far as I’m concerned, man, yeah, I want to be that Bo Jackson, I want to be that Deon Sanders, I’m about to get a touchdown.