You probably don’t need reminded, but Oct. 6's UFC 229 event in Las Vegas pins lightweight king Khabib Nurmagomedov against the returning Notorious one, Conor McGregor. Before the two rivals attempt to secure a definitive grasp on a UFC title, a surging light heavyweight up-and-comer, Dominick Reyes, looks to take one step closer to headlining a pay-per-view show of his own. 

The 9-0 Californian has stormed the UFC’s light heavyweight division over the past 14 months. Fresh off a viral head-kick knockout win over Jordan Powell at LFA 13, Reyes signed to the UFC in June of last year. Inside the legendary Octagon, he’s defeated Joachim Christensen, Jeremy Kimball, and Jared Cannonier in an impressive seven minutes combined.

Exceeding even his own expectations, Reyes can’t help but be amazed where he sits in the division. He’s by no means surprised he reached the top echelon of the division; rather, he's a little baffled by how quickly he ascended there.

“I couldn’t have imagined it to go like this,” Reyes said in an interview with FloCombat. “It’s gone so perfectly. From that head kick [on], everything lined up. My theory on that is I think it’s all happening because I’m working so hard.

“I’m nonstop working and trying to get better and looking at all of the little things I can do to be the most complete fighter in the world. It’s clearly paying off, but there’s still a long way to go.” 

Sitting in the No. 12 slot in the UFC’s official 205-pound rankings, Reyes will square off with No. 7-ranked Ovince St-Preux (22-11) Saturday night. Believing St-Preux is a very similar fighter to himself, Reyes thinks the difference lies in how well they execute their skills.

“We’re both very explosive and former football players,” Reyes said. “He’s tall, he’s long, and [he's] very strong. In the light heavyweight division, any punch can be the end of the fight. Those are all challenges that he presents me with.

“While we’re similar, I think I best him in a lot of those areas as far as mobility and overall speed. I have youth on my side, while he’s on the back end. In my opinion, 35 or 36 is when I want to retire. So, he’s reaching that point, but he’s not quite there yet."

Giving an honest assessment, Reyes knows St-Preux dwarfs him in the experience department. It’s something Reyes is making sure to keep in mind and not take for granted. 

“He’s improving every fight, if I’m being honest,” Reyes said. “He’s a vet with all this experience – from Jon [Jones] to [Ilir] Latifi. The thing I have to watch out for with him is his experience – his crafty, veteran moves he might come out with. As long as I stay the course, stay tight, stay sharp, stay smart, I think I’ll be fine and it’ll work out on my behalf.”

Aside from St-Preux's veteran status, Reyes doesn’t think the Tennessean is an unsolvable puzzle by any means—and he looks forward to putting the pieces together on fight night.

“I’m pretty good at analyzing my opponents on the fly,” Reyes said. “I feel like you should be a computer out there. Every little movement he does, every little breath he takes, I’m analyzing. I’m just finding my opening and seeing and engaging. It’s pretty crazy that I see through the vision I have in the fight trying to find my opponents’ weaknesses.”

At 28 years of age, Reyes is one of the only rising prospects at 205 pounds within a stone’s throw of champion Daniel Cormier. A win on a big stage over a perennial top-10 opponent would do wonders for “The Devastator." 

And Reyes couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity.

“It’s freaking awesome, dude – dream-come-true kind of stuff,” Reyes said. “It’s my Super Bowl. It’s my playoffs. All of the guys are going to be on there. NFL playoffs, everybody is watching every game. This is just like that. This is the same kind of a feeling.

“I know for a fact everyone is going to be watching. People who don’t even like MMA are going to be watching. It’s super exciting for me. I have a great opportunity to go out there and show my heart—go out there and show who I am and what I’m all about." 

In the end, though, it's all the same for Reyes. Two men will enter the cage, and one will leave the winner. For him, it's all about notching that victory in devastating fashion. 

“Just like with any fight, a big finish or impressive performance is going to really boost you," Reyes said. "But this, on this stage, it can change my life. It should change my life. After this, I would expect to be a household name."