Just three fights into his UFC tenure, Kiwi lightweight Brad Riddell has already set the tone for what opponents and fans can expect each time he steps into an Octagon - unmitigated warfare.
Three-round barnburners against Jamie Mullarkey in Melbourne last October, then a show-stopping battle against Magomed Mustafaev in Auckland seven months ago have left a lasting early impression.
The Christchurch native expects that trend to continue against Alex Da Silva at UFC 253 on Abu Dhabi's 'Fight Island' on Sunday (NZ time).
"All that matters is that you win, you perform and you entertain," Ridell tells Newshub. "All of those things need to be conquered and that's my goal.
"I'm excited to stand in front of Alex and stare at him, because I feel like his energy is competitive and I feel like he is there to have a go at me.
"I'm looking forward to staring into his eyes and seeing his soul, because I always know I'm there to go at them."
Don't be fooled by Riddell's youthful 8-1 mixed martial arts record. He may be fresh to the UFC, but he has more than a decade worth of kickboxing and Muay Thai experience to his name, years of bouts on both regional cards and in far-flung lands that have crafted a highly technical and cerebral striking savant.
That's why - despite his young UFC career - Riddell has the confidence to claim he's already the division's most dangerous and pure striker.
"I think I am. I'm sure other people have their other opinions, but in my mind, absolutely."
He believes his counterparts still don't fully realise the level of stand-up he possesses, although they're beginning to learn - the hard way.
"Look at the last fight. He was very strong and had a really good body lock, but he held onto that body lock for dear life, because he knew what was going to happen if he let go.
"He didn't even really want to let go with one hand to punch me, because he knew I'd get out and we'd be back facing each other standing."
During his kickboxing years, Riddell always had one eye on a full-time transition to mixed martial arts.
But rather than leap at the first opportunities that came his way, he opted to take the patient approach - albeit with some encouragement from his City Kickboxing coaches - to ensure he had the well-rounded game required to compete at the sport's highest echelon.
That meant wholeheartedly embracing grappling, putting striking to the side, and adopting a staple diet of wrestling and jiu-jitsu - and plenty of it.
"I had to put time and hours - heaps of hours - to level up to these guys who've grappled for 10 years like I've done striking for 10 years and that's all I've done," he says.
"My ears have gone, because I've spent hours and hours on the ground, with these Russians and Chechens in Thailand, and with my friends, the Hickman brothers.
"I've definitely taken to grappling like a duck to water and I really do enjoy it. I like the competitive nature of wrestling, how it's just go, go, go and you have to win."
As far as a blueprint for a successful crossover from kickboxing to MMA, Riddell only needs to look across the mat to teammate Israel Adesanya.
An established star with premiere kickboxing promotion Glory, Adesanya took the time to establish a full MMA skillset before leaping into the cage and the rest is history.
"I used to be very gung ho and I'd fight all the time - a couple of times a month, if i could. Then [coach] Eugene Bareman slowed me down and I watched Israel - that was a good example.
"I watched how patient he was with his MMA approach and look where he is now. The sky is nowhere near the limit for him.
"Look what happened in just a year. From the day that he signed until a year later, that was just patience.
"It really is a virtue, especially in this sport."
Sunday offers Riddell the opportunity to register his third straight UFC victory (sixth straight overall) against Da Silva, fighting alongside CKB teammates Kai Kara-France, Shane Young and headliner Adesanya.
The 24-year-old Brazilian is experienced beyond his years, boasting a 21-2 professional record that he's accumulated with an equal share of submission and TKO.
His most recent victory came against Rodrigo Vargas in August 2019, the only win decided by the judges.
Da Silva promises to be an ideal foil for Riddell's high-paced style and 'Quake' believes another on-brand performance should propel him up the divisional rankings.
"I feel like Alex is going to bring the best out of me in my MMA career so far," he says. "A win puts me dangerously close to the top five or top 10.
"Everyone that is higher than me or before me was just in the UFC earlier than me, that's the only difference.
"If I was in the UFC earlier, I'd be higher up already, It's going to put me in a very good position."
The former welterweight insists he's now adjusted to the demands of the extra weight cut and is now primed to perform at his peak.
"This is only my third time at lightweight, so I'm only getting my toes wet," Riddell notes. "First time getting down there was a bit sticky, second time was much more comfortable and this time was easy.
"My body knows what's going on now. I'm just going to get fitter, stronger and more comfortable in this division, and really be able to fully exert myself."
