David Onama’s rise up the UFC featherweight rankings could begin in his first promotional headliner, but after that, his path to a title shot is foggy.
On Saturday, Onama faces fellow streaking contender Steve Garcia in the main event of UFC Vegas 110 at the APEX. Onama brings a four-fight win streak into the matchup, while Garcia has won his past six inside the octagon.
After defeating Giga Chikadze at UFC Kansas City this past in April, Onama isn’t surprised to be facing Garcia in a pivotal main event.
“I wasn’t too surprised cause first they offered me to fight Steve Garcia Oct. 4 [at UFC 320] but he couldn’t make Oct. 4 for whatever reason,” Onama told MMA Fighting. “I don’t know if it’s weight or whatever, and they told me, ‘OK, let’s do either Nov. 1, the 8th, or the 15th. The 15th was New York City and, and the 1st and the 8th was the APEX.
“And I’m like, ‘All right, look, if I fight [at UFC 322], I better be high on the main card. If not, put me on the 1st or the 8th for the main event or I don’t know what we’re going to do. So they end up getting the fight for [Saturday] against Steve Garcia, so I wasn’t really too surprised.”
Garcia picked up his highest profile win to date in his most recent contest, defeating Calvin Kattar via unanimous decision at July’s UFC Nashville event. Prior to that, “Mean Machine” stopped five opponents in a row inside of two rounds.
Onama has been impressed with what his upcoming opponent has done, but feels he brings more to the table — both in skill, and excitement levels.
“Steve, he’s a great fighter,” Onama said. “He’s out there doing his thing, he’s out there finishing fights, and I’m also going out there and finishing fights. [He’s] getting his wins. I think he’s like on a five- or six- [fight] winning streak. I’m on a four- or five- [fight win streak], and this is why we’re fighting this weekend, for the main event.
“I mean, it’s a great matchup. We’re both exciting and like I said, I just feel like I’m more [exciting] than he is. I’m looking forward for whatever this weekend.”
Onama feels a win will put him in the top 10 of the loaded featherweight divisional rankings, and says he’ll have two names to call out if he gets his hand raised. If that happens, he won’t be the only Factory X fighter to make a title run as teammate Youssef Zalal is currently in the championship picture.
Right now, champion Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t have an opponent for his first title defense of his new reign. Onama was asked who should fight Volkanovski next, and to no surprise, he says his teammate should get the shot after his quick submission win at UFC 320.
But if Zalal captures the title, Onama says he’ll change course without hesitation.
“I know a guy, I can’t picture his name,” Onama said. “Hold on. They call him ‘The Moroccan Devil.’ I feel like that guy should fight Volk next. I think it’s a good matchup. He just beat Josh Emmett, so I feel like that guy should fight Volkanovski. …
“If he’s champion, then I guess I got to go up a weight class, huh? I’m going up [if he wins the title].”
