It’s been a long time coming for Ike Villanueva who will look to make it count when he makes his UFC debut on May 13.
Fury FC double champion Villanueva (16-9 MMA, 0-0 UFC) finally got the call from the UFC, and will be making his promotional debut in Jacksonville when he takes on Chase Sherman on the UFC’s midweek card, which takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card is expected to air on ESPN, with the preliminary card streamed on ESPN+.
Sherman made his way back to the UFC after three straight finishes for Island Fights, and Villanueva is excited for the opportunity to make his UFC debut against a recognizable name.
“He’s well-known, he gets my respect, but I’m finally excited to get my opportunity against a guy like him and show everybody,” Villanueva told MMA Junkie. “From what I hear and what I see, he’s tough. You gotta break him, so I look forward to getting the opportunity May 13.
“My impression that I’m going to leave on the world is, man, this guy is 36-years-old, blue collar, it’s a true story. One day they’ll write my book because what I’m going to show May 13 is everything. I’m letting it all hang out. It’s kill or be killed and you’ll remember my name after this fight.”
Villanueva has had his ups and downs throughout his MMA career, but has stopped his last four opponents in a row, including UFC veterans Roger Narvaez and Rashad Coulter.
But Villanueva was starting to wonder if he was ever going to get his big break, and credits his manager, Jason House of Iridium Sports, for helping him finally realize his dream.
“I took three years off the fight game back in 2012,” Villanueva said. “I came back in 2015 a man on fire. I’ve been on a tear, but after beating Roger and Rashad Coulter, two UFC vets, I was like, ‘OK, I gotta get my shot,’ and it wasn’t playing out. So I was doubting myself. My wife was like, ‘Baby, be patient, it’ll happen,’ and that was then I was like maybe my age is going to be a factor, it’s gonna hold me back, because PFL wasn’t even reaching out.
“I was like, ‘Man, what’s going on?’ but my management were like, ‘We’re working on it. We want the UFC, we don’t want those other guys, we’re trying for the UFC,’ and I put my trust in Jason House and that dude is badass. He made it happen.”
Ike Villanueva ready to impress against Chase Sherman: 'You'll remember my name after this fight'