Time, opportunity is now for Darabedyan against Giagos at RFA 38

Bright lights, a live AXS TV audience and Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White will all be focused upon the Resurrection Fighting Alliance 38 main card.

And so it goes that when Karen Darabedyan toes the line with Christos Giagos, they will not just be taking center stage looking for a victory, but also searching for a triumph that will impress, stand out and serve as a springboard to the even brighter lights of the UFC.

“This is a chance for me to get my name out there; to get to the big show,” Darabedyan said. “And Christos is in my way. I have to do anything I can to get by him.”

Glendale’s Darabedyan will take on fellow Southern California fighter Giagos on Friday night as part of the televised RFA 38 card live on AXS TV in a three-round lightweight tilt at The Hangar in Costa Mesa.

“I have somebody in front of me that I need to get out of my way to get to where I need to be,” said Darabedyan, a Glendale High alumnus.

When the 29-year-old Darabedyan (12-5) faces the 26-year-old Giagos (11-5), they’ll be fighting in front of White, as well. A day ahead of UFC 199, which is the company’s first event at the Los Angeles Forum, White will be attending the RFA card and filming his online show “Dane White: Lookin’ for a Fight.” The show features White, longtime friend Nick “The Tooth” Gullo and former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra taking in different cities and towns while searching for UFC prospects.

Giagos, a three-fight UFC veteran, said he was looking for somewhat of an easier bout until he heard about who would be in attendance at RFA 38.

“Fighting in front of Dana is a big deal, obviously,” Giagos said. “I want to have that fight where Dan says, ‘Oh, who is this guy and then realizes, oh this is a guy we cut.’”

Along with the opportunity of fighting in front of the UFC president comes the added pressure of putting on a show, but Darabedyan is confident that he’s beyond the point in his career where he will be affected.

“I think I’m kind of past that stage of feeling pressure for something like that,” said Darabedyan, who trains at Team Hayastan in North Hollywood and Main Event Gym in Glendale. “But obviously you want to perform with him there.”

Both Darabedyan and Giagos have had a taste of the mixed martial arts big time and want to get back.

For Darabedyan, Friday serves as his best opportunity yet on a long road back.

Once considered a burgeoning prospect in the 155-pound ranks, Darabedyan was 8-1 when he was signed by World Extreme Cagefighting in the autumn of 2009. Owned by the UFC’s parent company, Zuffa LLC, WEC was eventually absorbed by the UFC, but prior to that was a showcase for exciting, lighter-weight bouts. Darabedyan earned arguably the biggest win of his career when he defeated former WEC lightweight champion Rob McCullough via decision in his WEC debut.

In March of 2010, all seemed to be coming along spectacularly for Darabedyan when he floored the iron-chinned Bart Palaszewski in their bout. But the shoe-leather tough Palaszewski was able to catch Darabedyan in an armbar for a first-round submission. It was the start of a four-fight losing streak for Darabedyan.

In August of 2014, Darabedyan made his return to the cage and earned a first-round submission against L. John Borges, but he wouldn’t fight again until March of this year.

At the 4:07 mark of the first round, Darabedyan submitted Pablo Sabori, who was 6-2 at the time, with a guillotine choke.

Therein it seems was the true genesis of Darabedyan’s return.

Just more than a month later, Darabedyan held tight to his third consecutive first-round, guillotine win, defeating Joe Condon, a World Series of Fighting veteran.

Darabedyan credits the rebirth of his career to maturing. Once regarded as a phenomenal all-around talent, perhaps Darabedyan looked too far ahead to what many believed was certain success or maybe he just didn’t put it all together before and during his fights.

“The biggest change is, obviously, I’m older and wiser,” Darabedyan said. “In a way, I kind of grew up and kind of realized a lot of stuff. … I take this very seriously. I’m a different person now.

“Having all the skills and being a gym fighter doesn’t do anything for you. You have to go out there and perform.”

While Darabedyan’s four-fight losing streak has been replaced by a three-bout winning streak, Giagos is in the midst of his career’s toughest stretch.

The Hawthorne product has lost two in a row and three of his last four. Following a decision loss to Chris Wade at UFC Fight Night 68 in June of 2015, Giagos was released by the UFC.

“The way they cut me was kind of whack,” Giagos said.

Giagos, who’s coming off a regional loss to Josh Emmett (now a UFC fighter) in January, points out that he lost to a then-undefeated Gilbert Burns in a short-notice fight in Brazil in his UFC debut. Thereafter he earned a submission win over Jorge Antonio Cezario de Oliveira, once again on Brazilian soil, which is considered one of the most difficult places to fight for foreign fighters. Thus, Giagos was puzzled when he was cut despite not having incurred consecutive losses, which is usually the recipe for a company release.

Nonetheless, Giagos knows business is business and the best way to get back into the UFC ranks is against top competition.

“I’ve never really had an easy fight,” Giagos said. “It helped me get to the UFC.”

Giagos previously fought at RFA 17, defeating Dakota Cochrane in his last bout before signing with the UFC. Giagos is one of more than 40 fighters, according to RFA, that have signed with the UFC after competing in the organization.

Thus, two fighters currently going in different directions are both looking to find the same destination.

“He’s going to bring the pressure,” said Darabedyan, who added that Giagos’ strongest asset is likely his wrestling takedown game. “He’s a very elusive striker. He comes at you from all angles.

“I just have to watch out for random exchanges so I don’t get caught with anything.”

Indeed, Giagos believes his pace can lead him to triumph against Darabedyan, who has three wins via knockout and four by submission.

“If I don’t catch him in the first round, I feel if I can’t take him out then, I can wear him down with my pressure,” Giagos said. “I feel like I can break him physically and mentally.

“I think he’s very dangerous. I know it’s not going to be an easy fight. I have to be smart.”

With the main card beginning at 7 p.m., the Darabedyan-Giagos bout is set to be the fourth fight on the six-bout televised portion. The main event will feature Thiago Moses (7-1) taking on Jamall Emmers (9-2) for the RFA lightweight title.

Giagos and Darabedyan will square off with six combined Zuffa bouts and 33 total fights in the contest featuring the most experience on the card. But all the combatants on Friday night will truly be competing for the same prize of taking the next step to stardom.

For Darabedyan, he believes his eyes are now firmly focused on the prize and the time and opportunity are his for the taking.

“I’ve done all the work. I feel confident in every area,” Darabedyan said. “I feel like it’s my time now. Confidence-wise, I’m better than ever. I don’t feel like anything can stop me.”