Call it answering when opportunity knocks, call it grabbing the brass ring, call it whatever you want. The fact of the matter is, Torpal Merjoev has been making the most of the options life has presented him since signing with Cage Warriors. With a shocking debut victory against one of the promotion’s most promising stars under his belt, ‘Rambo’ now finds himself face to face with a CW legend in Jordan Vucenic, and moments away from greatness.
Tickets for Cage Warriors 196 are availible here!
With his bout against the returning Jordan ‘The Epidemic’ Vucenic looming large, he spoke to Cage Warriors’ resident Play-by-Play man Brad Wharton about the rollercoaster ride so far, and what comes next.
Barely 21 years of age and with just a handful of fights under his belt, Norway’s Merjoev was a relative unknown when his name popped up on the bout sheet opposite Teddy Stringer for June’s Cage Warriors 191 card.
For the majority of the first frame it seemed like business as usual for the highly touted English prospect, but by the round’s end there had been a distinct momentum shift, before a shock submission just moments after the restart left viewers stunned.
“Going into the fight I was a little bit nervous…” recalled Merjoev. “…I was coming back from an injury and I’d had a little break, so I felt the pressure. I wasn’t in the right place mentally when I started the first round, so I gave it up pretty easily. But as I got further into the fight I became myself again. I became more composed and I was able to perform like I wanted to do.“
“To be honest I wasn’t expecting the submission finish against Teddy, but anything can happen in a fight. I was surprised myself, but not too surprised!“
The reaction from Merjoev’s corner team – luckily captured on film for posterity – was one of those golden ‘feel good’ moments that quickly went viral once shared by the CW media team. Seeing – or more accurately hearing – the positive reaction from those closest to him in the moment is something ‘Rambo’ will cherish.
“It felt fun! I heard someone screaming when I was fighting but I didn’t know who it was. It turned out to be my coach! It feels good always to get a victory and make your coaches happy.“
His coaching team aren’t the only ones singing Merjoev’s praises. During the Head-to-Head interview (availible to watch in full below), future opponent Vucenic had nothing but praise for the man who’ll stand opposite him on November 15th.
The bout has clearly reinvigorated the former CW title holder, who seems to be relishing the opportunity to test himself against a young lion. For Merjoev, the opportunity to compete against someone he’s admired for so long is reward in itself; the praise was just the icing on the cake.
“Of course, it feels good! He’s a high level guy and I watched him a lot, even before he got into the UFC, when he fought against Paul Hughes the first time. It’s a good feeling when someone you’ve watched for a long time, you get the opportunity to fight them. And it is a big step up for me, so I feel good…only good feeling about it!“
Regardless of the plaudits his opponent is willing to pass on, Merjoev knows that when the cage door closes that Saturday night, he’ll be up against it in what it undoubtedly the sternest test of his career.
“I always want to test myself against the best guys and Jordan is a really good fighter. I’m just happy to get the chance to test myself against (someone at) that level.“
“I’m used to not being the favourite because it’s not legal in Norway to fight. So I’ve always been the underdog, and I like it that way!“
With such a mountain to climb at CW 196, Merjoev isn’t looking an inch further than the looming presence of Jordan Vucenic. That doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking of the bigger picture, safe in the knowledge of what a win over a certified Cage Warriors legend like ‘The Epidemic’ could do for his career.
In many ways, his goals aren’t all that different than those of his opponent.
“I believe that if I win this fight, I definitely need a title fight after this. But to be honest, I don’t look past Jordan. After this fight, then I will see what’s the next step, but right now all of my focus is on this fight.”
The upset win against Stringer earned Merjoev a tonne of respect and a raft of new fans to add to the considerable support he already enjoys back home. With the biggest fight of his life rapidly approaching, ‘Rambo’ had a final message for new fans and old.
“Just be ready for a good fight as always. Me against Jordan? Of course it will be a good fight. Tune in!“
Torpal Merjoev faces Jordan Vucenic at Cage Warriors 196 on Saturday, November 15th. Tickets are availible here. The event will air live on UFC Fight Pass and international broadcast partners.