UFC Vegas 91: Tim Means Ready To Go The Distance Against Fellow Southpaw Uros Medic

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Veteran Tim Means is set to lock horns with rising welterweight Uros Medic in the main card opener of UFC Vegas 91: Nicolau vs. Perez, which is scheduled to take place at the UFC Apex Facility in Las Vegas on Saturday (April 27).

Means, who is one of 22 fighters in UFC history with 28 or more appearances in the Octagon, comes into the fight on the back of a third-round stoppage win over Andre Fialho in September 2023.

"The Dirty Bird" Means, who is 33-15-1 in his two-decade long MMA career, recalled back to his high school wrestling days and how a bad hair cut resulted in him earning his nickname.

"Oh the Dirty Bird! I wish it was a cool story. I was 17 years old and in high school, had a bad haircut for state wrestling and my teammates said I look like a dirty bird and the name stuck and here we are," Means said in an all-India exclusive interview organized by Sony Sports.

Means' opponent for this weekend, Medic has gone 3-2 through his first five UFC appearances across two divisions. The rising star lost his most recent fight in November 2023 after going on a two-fight winning streak.

After earning a third-round stoppage win over Matthew Semelsberger in his UFC welterweight debut in July, "The Doctor" was submitted by short-notice replacement Myktybek Orolbai less than four months later, erasing any momentum he had built with his previous win.

The veteran Means, however, is not taking chances against Medic, who has seen his fights end in stoppages so far whether the two defeats or the seven win. The seasoned pro wants to use one skill which he has not used much in the UFC this weekend.

"I have a wrestling background but I dont think I've really used my wrestling in the UFC at all so I might need to be doing to mix it up to catch Medic off guard," Means added.

"He's very fast, he a little bit younger than I am, a left hander, beat my buddy (Matthew) Semelsberger. So i think fouls make fights. We're two left handers that are going to meet in the middle.

"We're both very aggressive coming forward. I think it's a really good match up, I think he's 9 and 2 or something so I have the experience advantage for sure but he's a very good fighter."

While Medic has won all his fights via submission or knockouts, Means has also a record of 25 stoppage wins among his 33 wins, but the 40-year-old will look to win the fight over three rounds rather than risk going for a stoppage this time.

"I've tried to be the fight caller before and it hasn't really panned out, you find yourself trying to force things and trying to throw shots harder than you need to be throwing," Means said.

"Just timing and placement and getting Medic's respect right out the gates and win those little wars in the rounds, those little exchanges and then get my hand raised, but have to be calculated against Medic. He's good, he's dangerous and he'll turn the lights out."

Watch UFC Fight Night: Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez on 28th April 2024 from 4:30 AM IST onwards LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD & HD (Tamil & Telugu).