ABU DHABI – Marwan Rahiki wants to get Tommy McMillen back down the line.
In a battle between undefeated featherweight prospects, McMillen (12-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) outlasted Rahiki (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in a Fight of the Year contender at Noche UFC in September.
Rahiki had his moments, but McMillen eventually took over with his gas tank and controlled Round 3. Rahiki accepted the fight on short notice, but it was an opportunity he was never going to pass up.
"Not really disappointing for me to be honest," Rahiki told MMA Junkie on the loss. "It didn't go my way, but I've learned so much. Going home after that, I didn't really feel beaten up. I'm not beating myself up about it. It's just more – it burns a little bit. It just stings. I almost had him, but it was a fun experience, and it was one of the best fights of the year. So I'm trying to just focus on the bright side of the outcome, and we'll be back soon, and I'll get him back. Don't worry. He knows. The UFC knows it's not over. He was saying that 'I got you,' and I said, 'Yeah, you got me. You've been doing this for how many years? I turned pro two years ago.'
"So when I say that I'll get him back, I'll get him back. And next time when I get him, it's not going to be like the last time. I took him on very short notice. I mean, no excuses. I felt ready, but the reality is different. I tried to convince myself that I was ready, and I was fit enough, and I tried to do everything in short time, and some other things happened. I can tell you a million excuses, but I'm not like this. I walked into that fight, being in that arena, I thought I was going to get him out of there in like one round, and I think that was one of the reasons why I lost. It was mid the fight, and I was like, 'What is going on?'"
Round 1 was close, with both fighters finding their mark on the feet. However, in Round 2, Rahiki dropped McMillen with a massive left hook, but couldn't get him out of there. McMillen survived and started pressuring Rahiki, which eventually lead to a definitive third round for the Arizona native.
"The first round was very close," Rahiki said. "I mean again, I felt like I won it after the first round. Then I go to the second round, and I smashed him. I felt like I'm going up two rounds, and a lot of people say that. I'm not saying this to argue that I won. I lost the fight, but I was very close to beating him in his game, what he's best at so, that's the good part. I can say a million excuses, but there's no single reason, like to just look at one thing, I would not like to do that. I just take the loss, and I'll get him back. And next time when I get him back, I hope he stays undefeated, and I actually really hope the best for him, and it goes well, he does well in his next fights. Maybe two fights and we're going to clash again, and next time, you'll see."
Many gave Rahiki the technique advantage and McMillen the cardio and pace. That's primarily how the fight played out, but Rahiki believes the short-notice nature is what slowed him down. In hindsight, he wishes he fought more composed.
"The cardio thing, I don't know," Rahiki said. "I've been more ready for other fights, and that's the only thing. No regrets. It was a great fight. I wasn't surprised (that I didn't finish him). Let me say this: Me dropping him, it was better than when he dropped me because I remember like taking the hits and being like, ugh. I was very fatigued. Going to the third round, I was just trying to like jump and shake, and I could feel straight away my legs were like gone. I can't even stand, like, what is going on? I knew what I had to do to. The goal at that point was just not to get finished and not look worse. But the instincts, fighting instincts in me was just more trying to knock him out, trying to chase something crazy even when I was tired.
"I couldn't convince myself to just be smart. I just couldn't do this, and that's something big that I learned from this fight is just I need to be disciplined in the fight. Outside the fight, I'm disciplined. I'm always training unless if I have injury or something going on. But in the fight, I have to be disciplined, and I have to just think before I act, not just go in front of him and fight crazy, fight him in his game, just swing. He has a big head, a big tough head. Every time I hit him, I was like, 'What is going on? Why is this guy is not falling?' But it's good. He was ready. His coach and his team and him, they were saying how he's in the best shape in his life. I would say to you, that was my worst shape of my life, especially in the UFC. But again, no excuses. I thought I was going to knock him out."
The 24-year-old Moroccan hinted at a UFC Sydney return in February, and he has big goals for 2027.
"Four fights, end of the year ranking," Rahiki said. "Hopefully rematch Tommy. If not, I'm not salty about him. He's going to see this, and he's going to be like ... I have nothing but respect. You won the fight fair and square. For him and his fans, congratulations, but I'll get you back. I will get you back. But four fights. This year was three fights. I was hoping to have four.
"So let's say I aim to start early next year and then we go from there. Then yeah, we just end the year hopefully ranked. (Ending the year in Abu Dhabi), that will be, I'll tell you, a dream from now. That's the goal. I would love to. Even November if they do something. It's still a little bit hot. From the last experience, I don't want to fight somewhere like that hot. Sydney is OK. It's going to be hot, but I think the other people who will come, it's going to be worse for them. But for me, if I do that one, I'll be fine."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Marwan Rahiki eager to get Tommy McMillen loss back: 'It's not over'