Punahele Soriano is expecting an all-action fight against Dalcha Lungiambula.
Soriano (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) meets Lungiambula (11-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC) at UFC on ABC 3, which takes place July 16 in Elmont, N.Y., on Long Island.
Outside of Dana White’s Contender Series, all of Soriano’s wins have come in the first round, and he’ll look to snap a two-fight skid when he takes on the powerful Lungiambula.
“I don’t think he’s bringing anything I haven’t seen, but he definitely brings things that I need to be aware of,” Soriano told MMA Junkie Radio. “(He’s) definitely dangerous, definitely explosive, will hit hard, and I’m coming in to be the king of the jungle. I want to hit him harder.
“I’m going to fight him as hard as I can. That’s what I do to everyone. I’m just trying to finish him. I try to finish everyone, and I’m definitely going to try and finish Dalcha.”
Although Soriano is a NCAA Division-III All-American wrestler, he has mostly shown off his hands in the octagon. Will he resort to his wrestling background when trying to get back to winning ways? Soriano won’t guarantee anything.
“I kind of put it on the back burner myself, even in my last fight, because I was trying as hard as I could to not wrestle,” Soriano said. “I think wrestling is still the biggest part of my game. But I don’t know – maybe we’ll keep it a surprise, keep it a secret. Wrestling is hard, anyway.”
Punahele Soriano coming to ‘be king of the jungle’ against ‘explosive’ Dalcha Lungiambula
