Trujillo (photo via Ryan Loco)

By FCF Staff

As Abel Trujillo gets set to fight Jordan Rinaldi at UFC Fight Night 88 this Sunday, the lightweight says his game has reached new heights, thanks to the coaching staff of the Blackzilians.

Trujillo will face Rinaldi, having scored consecutive wins over Gleison Tibau and Tony Sims in his last two outings. Recently the powerful wrestler spoke with UFC.com about his upcoming fight, and Trujillo had this to say:

“I think my game is sharper now and has a purpose,” Trujillo said. “Before, I used to go in there and just be tough and brawl with people. I was just using my athleticism and power. I’m still using that, but in a controlled way. Neil Melanson has been a great asset to the team. He knows about MMA and the grappling and the sequences that actually take place in a live fight. It’s simple things that you wouldn’t think of unless you didn’t have a coach like him. And I’ve always worked with Henri. He’s got a basic style, a very effective style.”

Trujillo (14-6) has gone 4-1 in his last 5 fights, and the only men who have defeated him in the UFC are top contenders Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Rinaldi (12-4) will be making his Octagon debut.

UFC FN 88 will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada.