Dubai: British former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight Luke Barnatt takes on Russia’s Maxim Futin in Chechen-based mixed martial arts promotion Absolute Championship Berkut 81, at the Dome in Dubai Sports City on Friday.

It is just one of the headline fights in a card of 13 MMA match-ups starting from 6pm with tickets starting from Dh150, which also includes another former UFC-man Roan Carneiro of Brazil taking on Poland’s Aslambek Saidov.

“I definitely think it helps me in their eyes,” Barnatt, 29, said of his UFC pedigree.

“Personally I don’t think much of it,” he added of his three win, three loss, six-fight UFC record, from 2013 to 2015.

“But having fighters like Maxim, who want to get into UFC, they will definitely look at UFC fighters in a different light and it will put some mental pressure on them because everyone thinks it’s such a big deal.

“As I’m changing weight classes having moved up to light heavyweight, Maxim’s biggest asset is probably his physical strength. But as for the way he fights, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” added the Englishman who has won 13 of 18 fights, seven by knockout, across all promotions since 2011 — Futin, has fought 12, won seven, five by knockout since 2010.

“My style is probably the worst he could ever face, I have a very high tempo and lots of movement and he seems to struggle in the later rounds whereas I only get better.

“I just want to do my thing, keep the fight exciting and come forward and be a lot more aggressive, because I haven’t had to cut much weight for this fight (like he used to in middleweight) and I feel good and ready to go.

“This is my last fight on my current ACB contract before I have to renegotiate a new one,” added Barnatt, who has won one of his total three ACB bouts so far, which was the one fought at light heavyweight against Max Nunes last July.

“Winning would solidify that I’m there, but it doesn’t put me anywhere near the top, another one or two big fights might put me in line for a title, but right now it’s about finishing off this guy.

“I don’t have any regrets from UFC, technically I won three, lost three, but there were some questionable decisions there, and I feel like I won five lost one, but I wouldn’t have done anything differently.

“I’m very happy in ACB but I’m not going to lie, if UFC came calling again I would definitely be interested. I’m still young enough, but it would have to suit my life and right now ACB does that very well.”

Barnatt said he moved up a weight class to prolong his career and improve his health because drastic weight-shedding wasn’t beneficial in the long-term.

“I’ve got another five or six years left and I just want to be the best I can be and keep moving forward with my career. I truly believe I’ll be with ACB for a long time,” he added.