UFC news: Jamie Mullarkey speaks ahead of fight with Nasran Haqparast, on same card as mentor Alex Volkanovski

Entering a training camp for the holiday period, Jamie Mullarkey is determined to dominate his February bout on the same card as his mentor Alex Volkanovski, who KO’d him six years ago.

Jamie Mullarkey Brad Riddell and compete during UFC 243 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. Picture: AAP Image/Michael Dodge

Forgoing Christmas, New Year’s and a smattering of birthdays and weddings is no big deal when Jamie Mullarkey finally gets to live out his “dream come true” next year.

The Central Coast lightweight (15-5) will fight German Nasrat Haqparast (14-5) at UFC 284 in Perth on February 12 next year, becoming the eighth Aussie to feature on what will be the biggest UFC event in Australian history.

But it’s not his opponent or even the setting that has the 28 year old calling this the “biggest and most exciting” event of his career – it’s the chance to feature on the same card as foe-turned-mentor Alexander Volkanovski and longtime great mate, Josh Culibao.

When Mullarkey was felled by Volkanovski at AFC 15 in May 2016 it set in motion a series of events that years later led the pair to become training partners.

Jamie Mullarkey and UFC champion Alex Volkanovski have turned from foes to friends. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Simon Bullard

Mullarkey was one of the fighters called into Volkanovski’s camp during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when the UFC featherweight champion was unable to travel to New Zealand to prepare for his title rematch with Max Holloway.

The partnership has continued since then and Mullarkey will spend part of his training camp at Volkanovski’s Freestyle Fighting Gym at Windang in the lead-up to UFC 284.

“It’s all part of the journey,” Mullarkey told News Corp.

“Once rivals, now training partners – it’s just part of the big MMA journey and I’m stoked to be part of Alex’s camps now whenever I can. I learn so much off him and all the guys at Freestyle.”

Volkanovski has taken Mullarkey under his wing. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

The February 12 event will be Mullarkey’s first fight on home soil since his debut at UFC 243 in Melbourne in October 2019.

“For sure this is the biggest and most exciting event I’ve ever taken part in. We’re 10 weeks out and I can already feel the energy going up, I can’t imagine what it will be like when we have a home crowd,” he said.

“When I was fighting on the Australian circuit it was a bit different because I didn’t want to get too friendly with gyms I would be facing off against, but now we’re on the world stage there’s a big camaraderie between all the Aussies and Kiwis – if we’re not opposite each other in the cage.”

It’s also the first time he will share a card with Culibao – also called into Volkanovski’s camp during Covid – which is something the two have campaigned to have happen for years.

Culibao got his UFC start as a late replacement for the injured Mullarkey at UFC Fight Night 168 and almost three years to the day they will feature in Perth.

“Me and Josh met each other over 10 years ago now. It’s actually about 11 years,” Mullarkey said.

“We’ve competed across the world together, (even) in Greece in an amateur pankration tournament. We’ve always dreamt of sharing a UFC card together and this is the dream come true.”

Mullarkey (left) is itching for his February fight against Haqparast. Picture: AAP Image/Michael Dodge

The Perth event will be Mullarkey’s first fight since his split-decision victory over Michael Johnson on July 9.

He was due to fight at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi in October but withdrew due to injury.

Now back to full fitness, he will enter camp on the eve of the Christmas and New Year period eager to put on a show in front of the Aussie faithful.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time now. I’ve missed birthdays, Christmases, weddings … it doesn’t really affect me,” Mullarkey said.

“I haven’t watched too much of him (Haqparast) so far but from what I have seen he’s pretty well-rounded,

“He likes to bring pace to the fight. I feel I do (match-up well with him). It’s going to be a pretty exciting fight.”