Isaac Dulgarian eyes first-round stoppage over Francis Marshall to hopefully finalize Nelk Boys deal

Isaac Dulgarian will finally be making his UFC debut.

Dulgarian earned his UFC contract on Lookin’ For A Fight and also received the Full Send deal, but that never came to fruition. He was supposed to make his debut in January but had to withdraw from the fight which was heartbreaking for him.

“Man, it was really, really tough. I didn’t want to pull out. I was asking all my coaches about what I can do to stay on the card, doing everything I can,” Dulgarian said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “But, the fact of the matter is I had a full tear of my LCL in two different places. It happened the week before I left. There was no coming back and I had a little eye issue as they said a hole in my retina which I had to take care of.”

Once Isaac Dulgarian was ready to return, he was booked to fight Francis Marshall at UFC Vegas 78. He was happy with the booing as he is very familiar with Marshall and expects it to be a very fan-friendly fight.

“He fought one of my teammates in Marcelo Rojo and knocked him out. Francis is a tough kid, he’s very aggressive, very physical. I think it will make for a good fight because we are both grappling-based,” Dulgarian said. “I think we will see a striking battle or will get our egos tested in the wrestling.”

With Isaac Dulgarian knowing both he and Francis Marshall like to grapple, he expects the fight to play out both on the feet and the mat.

With that said, Dulgarian is very confident in his skillset and expects to get a stoppage win in the first round, which is how he has won all of his previous fights.

“Honestly, it could play out a ton of different ways. If he wants to grapple, I’m down to grapple,” Isaac Dulgarian said. “I’d love to get another first-round finish, to make it 10 first-round finishes between pro and amateur. So, I’d love to start like that in the UFC. But, if we fight three rounds, I’m ready for that.”

If Dulgarian does get the first-round stoppage he’s after, he hopes it will be enough to finalize the Full Send deal with the Nelk Boys. He knows it is a massive opportunity and wants to ensure it comes to fruition.

“I got plenty of show, I want to make a name for myself. Especially with the Nelk Boys thing and everything else going on, a good performance is the key for me… I don’t think it will get finalized, as far as I know, they signed Mike Malott. They gave my contract to him, I have no idea why,” Dulgarian concluded. “I never received a contract with terms on it. They almost gave me a fake contract the night I won it. So, I’m hoping a good performance that deal comes around.”