Navajo Stirling is set to return to the Octagon on Saturday at UFC Belgrade against former champion Jan Blachowicz.

Stirling took the fight on short notice after Blachowicz’s original opponent, Bogdan Guskov, took the UFC Abu Dhabi main event against Magomed Ankalaev on short notice. With Blachowicz without an opponent, the UFC offered the bout to Stirling, who took it while he was in the midst of a bender in Japan.

“I’d just come off holiday mode in Japan,” Stirling said to Home Of Fight. “I’m always training in the gym despite whatever I’m doing, that’s my routine. But yeah, just come off a massive bender and just rolled into the weeks and got offered a fight. I just said ‘yeah bro I’m keen, I’m training everyday’ so just gotta utilize my youth. I just came off the best camp of my life, so why wouldn’t I take it?”

Although Stirling is coming off a bender, he is a huge betting favorite over the former champ, which is a major surprise to him.

Navajo Stirling surprised he’s the favorite

“Damn, I thought I was going to be the underdog,” Stirling said. “Maybe I got to post my clips from Japan getting on the bender (laughs). Maybe the lines will shoot the other way.”

Stirling is set for the toughest test of his career against Blachowicz, who’s the former champ, and is taking the fight on short notice. Yet, he has full confidence he will be able to get his hand raised and prove he’s a legit title contender at 205lbs.

Navajo Stirling is coming off a TKO win over Ion Cutelaba to improve to 10-0 as a pro and 5-0 in the UFC. In the UFC, he also has a TKO win over Bruno Lopes and decision wins over Rodolfo Bellato, Ivan Erslan, and Tuco Tokkos.

Do you think Navajo Stirling will beat Jan Blachowicz at UFC Belgrade?