Modestas Bukauskas has high praise for his UFC 324 opponent, Nikita Krylov.
Bukauskas was hoping to fight one more time last year, but when he got the offer to fight on the first card of 2026, and on the first event of Paramount, he jumped at the chance.
“I knew that it was going to be a big card from the get-go, just being the first card on Paramount at the T-Mobile Arena,” Bukauskas said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “They always have bangers when they do numbered cards in Vegas. It’s a privilege to fight on such a historic card.”
Bukauskas will also get a top-15 opponent, as he’ll face Krylov, who is someone he wanted to fight.
“That was one of the names that was on my radar,” Bukauskas said. “I wanted to fight a guy in the top-15, and I called for those guys pretty early on. It made sense, I knew one of those guys would come forward, and one of the names that I thought it would be was Krylov, and he came up. It all fell into place.”
Although Bukauskas wanted to fight Krylov, he knows how dangerous he is. He believes Krylov is the most dangerous opponent he’s fought, but he expects that to bring out the best in him.
“He’s very good on the floor, has good wrestling,” Bukauskas added. “He’s a well-rounded athlete. And he creates a lot of crazy scrambles. He’s a very dangerous fighter, the most dangerous opponent I’ve had to date. But that will bring out the best ‘Baltic Gladiator.’ You have to be sharp against a guy like him.”
Modestas Bukauskas expects to finish Nikita Krylov at UFC 324
Despite Bukauskas believing Krylov is dangerous, he has confidence in his own game.
The light heavyweight contender believes he has all the tools to not only beat Nikita Krylov but also get a stoppage win at UFC 324 to make a statement.
“I see myself finishing Krylov,” Bukauskas said. “He’s the most dangerous fighter I’ve fought, but every time I get a tough test it makes me rise up to the occasion. That is what I am going to do, is rise to the occasion. I’ll put the best performance of my life at UFC 324.”
Should Modestas Bukauskas get the stoppage win he’s after, he has a name in mind that he’s ready to call out.
“I’ve got things in mind, but I will keep that for after the fight. I want to plant seeds for certain things to happen, but I need an emphatic finish for me to get these things,” Bukauskas concluded.