Merrick resident treks towards UFC ring

Posted

He may have faced a recent misstep, but Merrick resident Dennis Buzukja is determined to make it to an Ultimate Fighting Championship ring.

Buzukja, 23, has been squaring up in matches for roughly five years. After building up a win streak in a few professional matches, he was selected to participate in Dana White’s Contender Series, in which winners have the chance of receiving a coveted UFC contract.

“That’s your shot to get in,” Buzukja said. “There were a lot of nerves. This is the one fight that can change your life, so there was a lot of pressure, but the training was always fun and with good people — everyone comes around to support you.”

Despite putting up a strong fight and getting a takedown in the first round, the judges ultimately voted in favor or Buzukja’s opponent, Melsik Baghdasaryan, after the Sept. 1 fight. But Buzukja’s determination to make it to a professional level has not faltered, he said.

“I’ll come back stronger, learn from it and fix my mistakes — I’ll clean everything up and be ready to beat the next guy,” he added. “What’s done is done, you can’t take it back.”

Buzukja, who grew up in Staten Island, continues to train in Garden City alongside his housemate and fellow fighter Al Laquinta, and former middleweight champion Chris Weidman, of Baldwin. Next year, fans can anticipate Buzukja’s return to a ring, he said.

“The limit to my skillset is whatever I set it at,” Buzukja said. “I put the limits on myself and it’s up to me to be as good as I can be — the best in the world.”

Buzukja gained his love of the sport when he was an amateur fighter and achieved his first knock out, ushering roars from the crowd. He then moved out to Long Island to join a fighting gym under the Serra-Longo team, led by renown east coast fighters Matt Serra and Ray Longo.

Over his short career, Buzukja has already gained an online following from the Albanian community, who can be seen leaving comments of encouragement throughout his social media pages. Some fans even stayed up late into the night to watch Buzukja’s Contender Series match overseas.

“It’s pressure,” Buzukja said, “I’m 23 years old — I’m just a kid — but still, I love it. If anyone can do it, it’s me.”

Every time he enters a ring, Buzukja keeps one thing in mind: “Just have fun,” he said. “I remember what I do is for myself and for my family, but also I have to have fun. It can be really stressful, but when you remind yourself to enjoy yourself and the competition, it makes it much more fun.”

Buzukja can be followed on Instagram at @dennisbuzukja, where he posts progress pictures and videos of his training.