UFC 225 exclusive: Ricardo Lamas on how he can beat Mirsad Bektic

Yahoo Sport’s Jade Morris caught with UFC Featherweight Ricardo Lamas ahead of UFC 225 as he prepares to face Mirsad Bektic in Chicago

Last time we spoke you mentioned you wanted to be on the Chicago card. It’s now been announced you will be on the UFC 225 card – you must be thrilled?

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to fight at home in front of my family and friends, I’m happy to be back.

How does it feel to be able to fight in your home town?

It’s great. That walk to the cage is always fun but when you’re doing it in your home town and have your friends and family supporting you it makes it that much better.

You’re facing Mirsad Bektic. Tell me about him as an opponent and where you feel he poses the biggest threats. Break down the match-up for me

I think it’s a good match-up. When you get to this level there are no easy fights. He’s a very aggressive fighter, he comes at you the whole time and looks for takedowns. I think if it hits the ground I will have the advantage as my Jiu jitsu is better than his but I feel comfortable wherever the fight goes. I don’t think he’s faced anybody of my calibre yet in his career, so this is going to be as big a test for him as for me.

Your last fight was a first-round KO defeat to Josh Emmett. He has said he is willing to do it again. Would you ever want that rematch?

Of course. Any blemish on your record is one you want to try and erase so I would love to get a rematch with any of those guys to make up any of losses.

Do you wish you had waited for the likes of Frankie Edgar or Brian Ortega to get the next shot at the title? Does that play on your mind at all?

You know waiting around in this sport you’re just wasting time. We have a very small window of opportunity as professional athletes and have to take advantage while we can. I don’t regret any decisions I’ve made of taking fights in the past. This is how I earn a living for my family. It’s how I put food on the table so I have to fight if I want to make money.

If you get the win on June 9 who do you have your eye on next?

Nobody. I just want to keep a winning streak going, I built up a little one before my fight with Emmett, so I just want to have another opportunity to fight for the title – whoever brings me closer to that is the person I would like UFC to put in front of me next.