OTTAWA — Mohamed Ado has a lot on his plate.

He balances a full course load at the University of Ottawa with a fulltime job – and another part time job. He’s also quickly establishing himself as one of Canada’s top prospects in the fight game.

“It makes for a long day that starts at 6 a.m., and ends at midnight,” Ado says. “It’s not the easiest, but you’ve got to get it done, so it is what it is.”

Ado embraces the grind – he didn’t leave his home country of Niger as an international student just to coast in Canada.

He says the hard work is worth it when he steps into the Unified MMA cage, which he’ll do again at Unified 53 on Oct. 28 at Shaw Centre in his adopted hometown of Ottawa, LIVE on UFC Fight Pass. He’s trying to improve to 3-0 with a third straight stoppage victory over Dan Kovalchuk, a fellow top prospect who also sports a 2-0 record.

Ado only has a couple fights under his belt, but his upcoming bout is surely the most important fight of his career so far.

“It’s really important because it’s in Ottawa, so there are going to be a lot of friends and teammates in attendance who weren’t able to see my other fights,” he says. “I really want to put on a show and represent my team.”

Ado also knows a third straight victory on Canada’s Ultimate Proving Ground moves him a big step closer to an eventual opportunity in the UFC’s Octagon.

“My goal is to be a world champion,” the fast-rising prospect says after a late-night training session. “I want to be known as the best in the world.”

ABOUT UNIFIED MMA

Unified MMA is Canada’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, showcasing the country’s top-ranked fighters, LIVE on UFC Fight Pass. The organization has successfully promoted 52 events across Canada since it was founded in 2009, and has propelled several athletes to the UFC’s Octagon.