Albert Tumenov thinks he'll crack the top 15 with a win over Lorenz Larkin
As Albert Tumenov heads into his sixth UFC battle, the man they call "Einstein" is already calculating where a win over Lorenz Larkin could place him in the welterweight division's rankings. Hungry to prove he can make his mark in a division packed with wolves, Tumenov knows he can contend with anyone willing to go toe-to-toe with him.
"I feel like I belong in the top ten at least in my division," Tumenov said via translator. "I can fight anybody, I can beat anybody that they put in front of me. But as far as the numbers go, the rankings, probably after this fight I will be at least top 15."
Toppling Larkin will be no easy feat. Larkin has only been finished once his UFC career. And though he had a rocky start to his UFC career, "da Monsoon" has since collected two wins competing at welterweight. A victory over Tumenov would even out Larkin's promotional record to 4-4. Meanwhile, Tumenov will look to extend his win streak to five.
Leather will likely fly between these two at UFC 195. Larkin and Tumenov own a combined 22 wins by way of knockout. Still, Tumenov said not to expect him to swing wildly looking for the homerun punch.
"My nickname is 'Einstein' and they call me Einstein for a reason," Tumenov said to FOXSports.com. "I'm thinking. I'm setting up. I know how to fight exciting and smart at the same time. My recent opponent had a lot of knockouts, even more than me. That didn't mean anything and it's going to be the same thing here."
Just six days ago, the Russian-born fighter turned 24. Competing professionally since he was 19-years-old, Tumenov has racked up a record of 19-2. His only setback in the UFC was a narrow split decision loss against Ildemar Alcantara in his promotional debut.
Since then, Tumenov has rattled off four straight wins. In that streak, he's finished three opponents with strikes and took home his first "Performance of the Night" bonus for his TKO of Alan Jouban. He said that fans have yet to see the full extent of his capabilities.
"Day by day I'm growing. At the same time, I haven't shown my full potential yet. So the fans will see more and more potential, and more and more excitement coming from me."
Tumenov hopes that he doesn't disappoint with his future performances and plans to keep the violent finishes coming. Already known for his flashy style, he looks to score another impressive victory on Saturday night when he faces off with Lorenz Larkin. The main card welterweight tilt will air exclusively on UFC 195's pay-per-view card.
