Ike Villanueva expects to KO Marcin Prachnio at UFC Vegas 30: “If I touch that chin it will be a short night”

Ike Villanueva is glad to be fighting back at the UFC Apex as he’s looking for some redemption in Las Vegas.

The last time Villanueva fought in Vegas was when he suffered a TKO loss to Jordan Wright which was stopped by cut. Now, he’ll return on Saturday at UFC Vegas 30 against Marcin Prachnio where Villanueva likes the style matchup.

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“I like the matchup, style-wise it’s perfect,” Villanueva said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I’m looking forward to getting back in there and putting on a show, especially back in Vegas. I have to get that win back in Vegas because the last one was ugly, I have to get that back.”

Villanueva believes the fight is very similar to the Wright and Moreira ones for a few reasons. He knows Prachnio has a very similar style to Wright as they both use karate-based styles. As for Moreira, he knew in that fight all he needed was to land one big punch to win the fight, and he says that’s the same here.

“We know a little bit about him, he has a Karate background that reminded us about Jordan Wright but not as explosive as Jordan Wright,” Villanueva said. “He has great kicks, sets them up well, but he’s a little suspect, he’s a little chinny so I’m looking to capitalize on that probably in the second round. I’m planning to catch him with a counter… If I touch that chin it will be a short night, I just have to find a way to get inside.”

Although Villanueva says Prachnio is a little chinny, he says he can’t force anything. He knows if he rushes in, there is a good chance the Pole catches him with a big counter.

Instead, the Texan plans to buy his time with feints and jabs. Once he starts to get Prachnio’s hands down, Villanueva plans to throw the right hand that shuts his opponent’s lights off.

“It’s just the one right hand I need to land. I don’t throw my right hand a lot, but it’ll be ready to fire and land that big shot,” Villanueva said. “I see it coming, I’m not going to rush anything, he’s here for a reason. I’ll set it up and make it land in the second, but if I get it in the first, I get it in the first, all he has in leg kicks.”

If Villaneuva gets his hand raised, it would be two in a row and would allow him to start calling people out. Although Khalil Rountree is booked, he says that’s a fight he likes in the future, but the main focus is winning on Saturday and then remaining active.

“It just opens it up, open the door up. There are a lot of matchups, even the Rountree fight looks good down the road,” Villanueva said. “I can hang with the best in the division, but I just have to do my job and you also have to do it in style as no one’s wanting decision wins. It’s going to be a banger, but I got a lot of fighting left.”

Do you think Ike Villanueva will KO Marcin Prachnio at UFC Vegas 30?