This weekend, Jack Hermansson, ranked sixth in the world in middleweight (84 kilos), won in just 78 seconds against the American Kelvin Gastelum, who challenged for the championship belt as late as last year.

The victory resonated in the MMA world and now the Uddevalla son thinks he is close to his dream of going to a title match in the UFC.

- Now I'm probably part of a small group that could get a title match immediately if someone, for example, were injured, then I can probably be relevant. Otherwise, I think I need to win another match, he says to SVT Sport.

That match he would like to be against the winner of the Englishman Darren Till and the Australian Robert Whittaker who goes to the main match at this weekend's gala, the night before Sunday Swedish time.

- I give Whittaker a small advantage in that match because he had the championship belt and defended it. Then I would also have preferred if he wins because the UFC probably does not want to give him a new title match after he has already lost to champion Israel Adesanya once, says Hermansson and continues:

- If Till wins, there is a chance that they will skip me and give him the next title match. Regardless, I'm ready to go to a new match at any time, as long as it's the right opponent that takes me closer to the belt.

Hermansson has just returned from "Fight Island" in the United Arab Emirates, where he was allowed to compete in special circumstances with rigorous safety routines and without an audience.

The entire island is cordoned off to the public and during the past week, the Swede was coronated five times.

- It was extremely well organized, I must say. The most important thing is that they take this seriously and have a security that makes it okay to hold sporting events right now. I really think they did. For me as a competitor, there was nothing to complain about.

SEE ALSO: This is the UFC's "Fight Island" - in 60 seconds

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