Caged Steel returns this Saturday as the famous Doncaster Dome hosts Caged Steel 28 in what is expected to be a fun night of amateur and professional action. Quendrim Pallata is among the action and assures those attending, he enters fight week filled with confidence.
Saturday night will mark the promotion’s first event of the calendar year, with the doors expected to open at 5 pm and the first fight scheduled for 5:30 pm.
The main event features a professional welterweight contest between Matthew Findlay and Qendrim Pallata. We had the pleasure of catching up with one half of the main event in Quendrim Pallata to get his thoughts pre-fight.
Interview With Quendrim Pallata
One week until your main event headliner against Matthew Findlay at Caged Steel 28. How is the body and mind ahead of your second bout as a professional?
Yes, I will be the main event against the Londoner Matthew Findlay. My mind is bulletproof. I feel good and ready to go and get the job done.
We saw you make your professional debut at Caged Steel 28 at the end of 2021. With that in the book, did that relieve some pressure off your shoulders, getting that first important victory out the way?
Yes, it certainly did. It was good to be back in there with three years out of the cage due to an injury, but I always trained during my time away from the cage and not fighting.
Pallata Talks Transitioning to the Pro-ranks
Did you feel any difference at all transitioning to the pro-ranks, or did it just feel like any other fight?
Being in there felt like any other fight. Apart from professionals, you can use elbows and heel hooks, etc. There 5min rounds where’s in the amateurs you can’t do that stuff. I felt better as I’ve got many more skills I can do as a professional now.
The last one on your last contest, a debut can’t come cleaner than a first-round stoppage, but fighters are always their biggest critics. Were you completely satisfied with your performance?
Yes, definitely when I go in, there am 100 percent ready.
When I speak to people for the first time, I always ask them their journey into the sport and why MMA was a path they decided to pursue? Do you have any interesting stories in that aspect?
I always used to fight at schools and streets, and one day this person called Tengiz Tedoradze saw me fighting on the streets while he was driving past. He was the British cage champion and fought some really big names. He asked me to go and join the gym where he trained at the time. It never bothered me joining, but he kept nagging me to go. 9 years later, here I am making my second professional fight this weekend.
Pallata Talks Opposition
On the night, you’ll meet Matthew Findlay, who has some solid experience as a pro thus far but is facing a tough time. What are your views on your opponent as a fellow competitor?
I always respect my opponents, but it’s gone time when the bell rings in the cage.
How important do you think your amateur resume is to your success moving forward in the pro-ranks. You weren’t somebody who rushed it and seemed to get as much experience banked as possible before making the jump.
I wanted to gain as much experience as I could in my amateurs. I fought some really good lads, and I never took any easy fights. They’ve always been wars.
Pallata Confident March 19th Is His Night
Cliche, but how do you see this fight playing out on Saturday. Is there anything in Matthew’s game you’ve identified that you need to be cautious of? How many tapes have you watched in preparation for Saturday?
Saturday night is my night. I have trained 13/14 weeks solid for this fight! I am not taking Matthew lightly as he’s a dangerous opponent, but there’s no way he’s winning this, I am a different animal in there.
Lastly, how does Qendrim Pallata get it done on March 19th? What can those in attendance expect to see from you?
QENDRIM PALLATA will be showing some new skills and putting middleweight on notice that there is a new dog in the yard. Expect fireworks. A hungry fighter is a dangerous fighter, and I am hungry! See you March 19th!
Would just like to thank everyone my team down at CBKA under Craig Burke. He’s made me a animal I am today. Thank you to everyone who’s bought tickets to watch me this weekend. I’ll see you all there!
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Featured image credits to Qendrim Pallata
