Zebaztian Kadestam at the PXC 44 Weigh Ins
Zebaztian Kadestam (5-1) doesn’t agree with all the talk about Josh Calvo (8-3) potentially giving him problems in the grappling department in Friday night’s PXC 44 170-lbs Championship headliner in Guam.
Zebaztian Kadestam at the PXC 44 Weigh Ins
Kadestam, who has only suffered defeat once in six pro outings, believes if he plays his cards right with his stellar striking game, he will get the victory.
“I don’t think he has anything to hurt me, really. He has a ground game, but we’re not in a Jiu-Jitsu competition,” Kadestam explained. “My last opponent was a brown belt under BJ Penn and I won. This guy, Calvo, is a brown belt too, but you got to get me to the ground to use that so it should be fine.”
Only very recently did Kadestam earn his title shot. Back at PXC 44 in September last year, he dispatched veteran Ross Ebanez impressively with a head kick knockout, taking his total career tally to 5-1. Now, the Swedish starlet is anxious to keep his momentum going.
“I think it’s going to be a tough fight, for sure,” Kadestam continued. “I mean, he’s a good guy, he’s experienced, he’s young and he’s up-and-coming. But I think it’s going to be my Muay Thai that will play out in the end, and get me the belt.”
A victory over Calvo will not only earn the Legacy gym recruit a shiny strap around his waist, but as with previous PXC champs, a shot at a UFC contract might be at the tail end too.
The promotion came to grips with a mass exodus of fighters leaving for the UFC over the past year or so, which included Bantamweight champ Michinori Tanaka, and promotional veterans Hyun Gyu Lim, Russell Doane and Dustin Kimura among many others.
Kadestam, is of course, looking to stamp his name on the same pedestal.
“In Welterweight and in PXC, I’m undefeated. I love fighting here. It’s always a great show, no problems, good fighters and it’s nice. There are good guys running everything,” he said. “I want to win the belt, defend it, and if the UFC calls like how’s it gone down with the rest of the champions in the promotion, then I’ll be ready for that. Either way, I’m happy to continue my career with PXC too.”
‘The Bandit’ opted out of a pro Boxing debut in favor of fighting for the vacant Welterweight strap this Friday
Beforehand, Kadestam relayed word that he was, in fact, preparing for his pro Boxing debut this month. The Swede, who started off his combat career with Muay Thai, admitted to taking a great level of interest in Boxing as well, with the sport eventually unfolding as a huge passion of his.
Those plans, however, were marred after just a phone call.
“I was actually looking into making my professional Boxing debut this month, but it got cancelled because of the title fight,” Kadestam recalled. “I got the call for the fight after my last win in September last year, but unfortunately I broke my hand, so I had to go back to Sweden. I had an operation in November and once my hand was good and 100%, I was back in the gym, training and preparing for this fight.”
While Kadestam has far from passed a short gaunlet to this title fight, there are absolutely no doubts that he is part of an influx of Swedish fighters looking to take the Mixed Martial Arts scene by storm.
This will be Kadestam’s chief obstacle, or in other words, his toughest test to date. But, with his burgeoning skills, few fighters have compiled a resume even comparable to what the Swede has accomplished thus far in half a dozen outings.
And as he gears up for fight night, he knows he’s ready for business.
“I try to be very technical when I fight. I’m not very reckless, but I always look to finish,” Kadestam concluded. “I hope the fight will be exciting and that’s what I want to do when I fight. I give a show for the fans and for anyone watching.”
*Credit: Red Card Sports Radio, Pacific X-Treme Combat
