COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ilir Latifi has been feeling good enough in his move up to heavyweight that he has no intentions on going back to his weight-cutting days.
Latifi (15-8 MMA, 8-6 UFC) continues his run at heavyweight Saturday when he takes on Aleksei Oleinik (59-16-1 MMA, 8-7 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 33 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. After more than 10 years cutting down to light heavyweight, Latifi returned to the big weight class two years ago.
“This is my home now at heavyweight,” Latifi told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 33 media day. “I actually started my career at heavyweight. I did two or three fights. But I feel good at heavyweight and I think weight cutting, in the long run, is not healthy for the fighters. For me, it feels better.
“It was very taxing (making light heavyweight). If you do it once a year, maybe it’s OK. But if you’re going to fight two or three times a year, with time, it takes a toll on the body. The body wasn’t recovering as it should. I was cutting around 33 pounds, 34 pounds each fight. It didn’t to me any good.”
Latifi, a 38-year-old from Sweden, had a dozen light heavyweight fights in the UFC before he returned to heavyweight with a loss to Derrick Lewis not long before the pandemic settled in. In June 2021, he picked up his first win in the division since 2008 when he took a split call from Tanner Boser.
Latifi knows plenty about cutting down. For his UFC debut nearly nine years ago, he was a relative unknown training partner of Alexander Gustafsson who got called to fill in for him on four days’ notice against Gegard Mousasi in Stockholm. He cut a reported 25 pounds to make the fight.
These days, he knows what a difference not cutting can make for him come Saturday.
“Strength, stamina, recovery – everything,” Latifi said. “Weight cut takes a toll on the body – not only on your power, but your endurance and your ability to endure strikes.”
Latifi has a little familiarity with Oleinik from their brief time working together at American Top Team. He said it wasn’t enough to really and truly glean a ton of information to put to use Saturday, but he does know what his opponent is going to bring to the dance.
“Oleinik is probably the most experienced guy on the UFC roster – almost 100 fights (and) wins over very big, notable fighters,” Latifi said. “He’s a guy that comes to fight (and) puts the pressure (on), and he’s a very tough opponent. We trained at American Top Team – not very much. Still, we spent some time there – (he’s) a very respectful, great guy. (He’s) very well-rounded and not afraid to challenge and take the game where he needs.”
Ilir Latifi plans to stay at heavyweight: ‘This is my home now’