That destiny sees him face off against Prates in Perth. The Brazilian is in stellar form, and has 17 finishes from his 19 career wins, including 15 knockouts. “The Nightmare’s” last eight wins have come via KO or TKO, and Li has been impressed with what he’s seen from his opponent.
“I’ve watched his fights and his striking style – he’s very much like me,” he said.
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“He’s finished many of his opponents. I think it’s a very good matchup for me, and please, wait for the brilliant performance from both of us!”
With a dangerous test in front of him, Li will need to be at his best to pick up the comeback victory he’s aiming for. But, he’ll do so with a chip on his shoulder, a host of changes to his approach, and the knowledge that he’ll be the fan-favorite as he steps back into the Octagon in Perth.
“After the two-year layoff, I changed a lot, my training style, my daily behavior, my psychology – everything has changed, also my mindset,” he said.
“So I want to say to all the other athletes that we all need to make a change sometimes. We cannot be stuck at the same point for a long time.
“And so for me, after this long layoff, I know what I want, and I’ve changed. And you guys will see a different ‘Leech.’”