Fight fans are always wanting to know who is the next prospect to be on the rise and a prospect to keep an eye out of is middleweight Abdel Medjedoub of Tristar Gym.
The former professional boxer made the transition into mixed martial arts in 2009 and has opened his career with three victories.
All of his victories have come by TKO/KO with his most recent victory coming last month in Dubai against Tarek Suleiman in the second round.
His journey into MMA began a couple of years ago when two of his friends told him he should try out MMA. He ended up falling in love with the sport and admitted he is addicted to MMA.
“Now, MMA is my life and it’s my work,” Medjedoub told TheMMAReport.com. “I come from to far and I moved from France and Luxembourg. I left my work, my family for MMA. I train every day and I have a dream. I want to fight in the UFC. I have the same dream as everybody and I want to fight in the UFC. I want to win the UFC belt.”
When he decided he was going to leave France to train full time in MMA, the choice was easy for him in picking Tristar Gym in Montreal. He elected to train there because of one reason, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.
“It’s Georges,” Medjedoub said. “He is my friend now but the first time, he was my idol. I go there for this reason and because it’s the second best gym in the world.”
Along with training with St-Pierre, he also trains with UFC middleweight Francis Carmont. Medjedoub stated that St-Pierre and Carmont are two of his best friends at the gym and both fighters have helped him become a better fighter physically and mentally.
Along with his friendship with St-Pierre and Carmont, Medjedoub raved about the Tristar head coach Firas Zahabi. Medjedoub feels lucky to be able to be coached by Zahabi, along with training with fighters like St-Pierre and Camont.
Medjedoub improves on a daily basis and is looking to be more active in the sport now, then he has been. After having two fights in the first twelve months in his MMA career, his third fight took place three years after his second fight. He is hopeful to get his next fight booked soon and wants to be very active in the next six months.
“I’m back in the cage and I never stop. I think in the next six months, I will fight maybe two or I hope three, but two for sure, two fights for sure.”
His ultimate goal is to get to the UFC, just like most mixed martial artist. If Bellator MMA or the World Series of Fighting were to make him a contract offer, it would be a honor for him to receive that offer. However, his ultimate goal is to compete in the UFC and make a run for UFC gold.
Medjedoub can be followed on Twitter (@abdelmedjedoub)