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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - OCTOBER 13: Reza Madadi enters the arena before his lightweight fight against Cristiano Marcello at UFC 153 inside HSBC Arena on October 13, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Reza Madadi

TRAINING: Hard sparring every day at the gym. I am getting ready to put on the best performance ever!

When and why did you start training for fighting? As a kid, I wrestled a lot in Sweden and Iran and I also became the Swedish champion. After a couple of years in the wrestling mix, I wanted a new challenge and I had some friends fighting in MMA so I said I would give it a try. Two months later I made my pro debut in Finland and I loved it. The crowd went crazy and I enjoyed it so much that I told Manos (my long-time manager) that I wanted a fight immediately again and he booked me shortly after on a show in Sweden when I actually fought for free! This is how everything started and now I am in the UFC and it really is a dream come true. I have been talking about this for a long time and there are only a couple of days left until I make my debut!

What ranks and titles have you held? Swedish freestyle wrestling champion, Swedish Greco-Roman wrestling champion, Superior Challenge title holder, X-Fight FC title holder

Do you have any heroes? God is my hero

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? It means the world to me. This is what I have been dreaming for since the first day.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? I have a sport teaching degree.

What was your job before you started fighting? Security

Favorite grappling technique: guillotine

Favorite Striking technique: elbows