UFC 206 this weekend might be lacking a big name such as a Conor McGregor or a Ronda Rousey, but there are still plenty of reasons why UFC fans need to be tuning in on Saturday night.

One reason probably greater than any is the South Korean featherweight, Doo Ho Choi, who at the age of 25-years-old, has put together a professional record of 15-1 and has three TKO/KO UFC victories under his belt.

His appearances so far in the UFC have been eye opening, with his three finishes all coming inside the first round against Juan Puig, Sam Sicilia, and Thiago Tavares. Choi has slowly been making a name for himself and building his fan base and this weekend he could raise his status in the featherweight ranks with a victory over perennial contender Cub Swanson.

Ready to take things to a new level

It would be understandable if the touted prospect would be showing signs of nerves before heading into his fight this weekend, but for Choi, his task at hand is one that he can’t wait to tackle head on.

“My preparations are done, the rest is to get used to the time zone and to work on my conditioning,” Choi said via a translator to FloCombat. “The only thing left is to see who will be the one to fall in the Octagon.

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“I've been saying for a long time that I want this fight with Cub so badly so I’m excited that this is happening. It’s a great motivation. I will try my best to bring back victory."

The road to becoming the UFC’s first ever Asian champion

Choi sees victory over Swanson as a big stepping stone towards him achieving his ultimate goal

Speaking last week to ROUGH Magazine, the South Korean described what exactly his goals were and how he’d laid out a path to achieve them.

“My record is rare and 12-straight wins in MMA is very hard to do,” Choi said. “I always knew that one day I would get to the UFC. That’s where the best fighters are and I am the best at what I do.

"I still have the top five to get in to but I look at those fighters ahead and, you know, they are just human beings and human beings can be beaten. Except me. There’s never been an Asian world champion in the UFC—until me.”

The doubters will be proven wrong

Despite having put the winning run that he has together, like many fighters, Choi still has his doubters. While for some the negativity often leads to anxiety, Choi appears to use it as extra motivation to win and to prove the doubters wrong.

“I know where I will end up in the end,” Choi said. “There seems to be some people who don’t believe me but when this fight is over, everyone will know my true worth.

“If I touch anyone with my right hand, they are knocked out. The fight against Tavares went exactly to plan. We had worked it out with my coach and with sparring. I am ready to go to a higher level now.”

Conor McGregor is perfect

If he is to become the king of the featherweight division, one man he may have to face down the line is Conor McGregor. The Irishman is someone who Choi holds a high regard for, especially for the way he trains.

“It was very interesting,” Choi said, in regards to McGregor’s victory over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. “Conor definitely knows MMA. There are athletes who just get in there and fight and there are very few who truly understand MMA. Conor knows and understands MMA.

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“We are different personalities, but we have the same philosophy. Spiritually and technically he is perfect. There are a lot of great fighters around the world but it is not just about the techniques or how strong you are.

“It’s more about the research and the study you do. If you want to be a fighter you have to study as hard as a doctor does – and I think I study this sport more than any other person in the world.”