On July 11, Zhulien Rikov secured another convincing victory at SENSHI, extending his unbeaten record in his professional career.

At SENSHI 32, he defeated Italian fighter Daniele Valente via TKO after the bout was stopped by the ringside doctor.

"I didn't get tired—the fight ended very quickly. I opened a cut above his eyebrow, and the doctor decided it wasn't safe for the bout to continue. He wanted to keep fighting, but the doctor didn't allow it," Rikov said on the Bulgarian morning TV show Bulgaria Sutrin, adding that he had also wanted the fight to continue so he could execute the techniques he had worked on during training.

"I know when I can allow my opponent to land a few shots, relax a little and gain confidence, so that I can then carry out my own strategy. I have more than 50 amateur bouts and now eight professional fights. I've gained a lot of experience and have gone through countless training sessions," Rikov told Bulgaria ON AIR.

The Bulgarian fighter noted that after every training camp he feels better prepared and even more motivated.

"With every training camp, we change something in our preparation to adapt to our opponent's style. Technique, speed and cardio are what work best."

According to Rikov, victories build confidence, but they can also be misleading.

"It's good to believe in yourself, but in moderation. We leave past achievements behind and aim for new ones—we always have to keep looking forward," the young fighter said.

Nicknamed "The Lion Heart", Rikov does not try to imitate anyone in combat sports. Instead, he wants to express his own individuality every time he steps into the ring.

"It's important for every young person to practice a sport because sport builds character. They should give it a try—if they don't like one sport, they'll certainly find another that suits them. Sport should be a part of everyone's life," he concluded.

You can watch a video of the full interview with the SENSHI Grand Prix champion in the under-75kg category on the Bulgaria ON AIR website.