LAS VEGAS – It took six years and 19 professional fights, but Erick Gonzalez can finally call himself a UFC fighter.
A short-notice signee, Gonzalez (14-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will look to make a good first impression Saturday at UFC Fight Night 195 when he battles one of the longest tenured fighters on the promotion’s roster in Jim Miller (32-16 MMA, 21-15 UFC) in a lightweight bout.
“If anything, I have so, so much to gain and nothing to lose,” Gonzalez told reporters including MMA Junkie at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “I just have to go out there and put on a show. The goal is to take him out. I know he’s a legend and a veteran. I have so much respect for Jim Miller, but I’m here to win and take over. I think that ‘The Ghost Pepper’ era is going to be coming.”
UFC Fight Night 195 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex. The card streams on ESPN+.
Gonzalez, 29, has won back-to-back fights and four of his most recent five outings. “The Ghost Pepper” is an alumnus of Combate Global, BAMMA, and Shawne Merriman’s promotion Lights Out Xtreme Fighting.
Check out Gonzalez’s full UFC Fight Night 195 pre-fight news conference in the video above.
Newcomer Erick Gonzalez declares ‘The Ghost Pepper’ era begins at UFC Fight Night 195
