Filipino fighter Rolando Dy is hopeful that the progress he made in training will manifest in the cage against Serbian foe Slobodan Maksimovic in the main event of BRAVE CF 56 on Saturday, Dec. 18 at the Belexpocentar in Belgrade, Serbia.

Dy underwent a few changes in his training regimen upon hiring strength and conditioning coach Marlon Emanel, who helped the Filipino warrior during training camp alongside striking mentor Norman Arenas.
"It does feel really good to get out of your comfort zone. At first, it was difficult. But that’s part of the adaptation phase of the program. I do feel much stronger and much faster heading into this fight. You will see it in my next fight," said Dy, who has a 17-6-7 win-loss-draw record.
Dy, however, admitted that he's "not getting any younger" and it's just ideal to recruit a trainer that will help him become fit ahead of his fight.
The 30-year-old Dy is on a mission to redeem himself after suffering a corner stoppage defeat against Abdisalam Kubanychbek last March.
"Come fight night, I have to perform to the best of my ability. He will have the so-called hometown advantage. I feel the pressure, of course. But it only motivates me to get the win in a decisive fashion," said the son of boxing great Rolando Navarrete.
Dy believes that a victory secured against Maksimovic will also serve as a springboard to propel his way to the lightweight leaderboard.
Meanwhile, Maksimovic, who will make his BRAVE CF debut, has a 17-6-1 card with back-to-back wins since November 2020. (Carlo Anolin)