MMA ‘saved’ Dino’s life

The quote isn’t being used to sensationalise this piece and tell a rags to riches type story but instead it’s to highlight the journey Bagattin has taken during his career as a fighter. The journey could come full circle next Thursday at Carnival City as he steps up to claim something that he’s been seeking for a long time, the EFC Africa welterweight title.

Now a devoted family man, Bagattin has been hard at work in the last few weeks in the hopes of trying to wrest the organisation’s welterweight title away from Michiel Opperman at EFC 23. “I’ve got a young family now so I want to build a legacy for my son and obviously being EFC champion is going to add to that. Winning the title will make it that much more credible,” Bagattin said.

It won’t be the first time that the two will meet having slugged it out back at EFC 12 and it was Opperman, brought in as a late replacement,, who prevailed via submission but Bagattin is confident that things will be different this time around.

“Obviously it’s a rematch with the added benefit of a title. I fought him last year, I wasn’t supposed to as he was a late opponent. We knew how good his wrestling game was but we just weren’t prepared for it. It’s totally different this time around and I’m 100% prepared,” Bagattin said.

The 32-year-old has paid his dues having featured at EFC 1 back in 2009 and he feels that the time is right to add to the British and Commonwealth Muay Thai titles he won in the UK back in 2006.

“I’ve earned it. The titles I won in the UK don’t mean as much to me as this one. The belt just adds a bit of glamour as champion. It’s not about the belt it’s about being the best in Africa. The belt will come to me, all I’ve got to do is go out and perform and stick to the game plan,” he said.

There’s been the usual psychological warfare that comes with fighting at the highest level between the two with Opperman challenging Bagattin this week to keep the two standing as he feels he can stand up to “The Lion’s” striking game.

“It’s not going to happen. It’s mind games. He must think I’m a bit naïve but I’ve been in this game a long time. He’s not going to stand with me, I know he’s not but he’s more than welcome to,” Bagattin said of the champion’s comments.

He’ll be going into the bout as the underdog against an opponent who has yet to lose in the hexagon but it’s a tag that Bagattin is comfortable with as he feels it takes the pressure off. “Definitely because he beat me before. I want to be the underdog anyway because they always fight harder.”