LAS VEGAS – Sodiq Yusuff hopes to parlay a win over Andre Fili at UFC 246 into a marquee fight in the featherweight division.

Yusuff (10-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) said he carries the utmost respect for Fili (20-6 MMA, 8-5 UFC) after seeing him do years of work inside the octagon. Yusuff stopped short of calling his next opponent a gatekeeper but said he knows a win is necessary if he wants to break through to the next tier of competition at 145 pounds.

“I always had the feeling I was going to get matched up with him sooner or later,” Yusuff told MMA Junkie. “When they told me I was going to be fighting him, I was super happy because I like the spot that he’s held in the division for a while. He’s the kind of guy that I’m going to have to beat to get to the other side of the echelon.”

UFC 246 takes place at T-Mobile Arena. Yusuff vs. Fili is part of the televised prelims on ESPN, which follow early prelims on ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

Fili has shared the cage with many of the top names in his division. Former longtime UFC champ Max Holloway recently labeled “Touchy” as the most difficult opponent of his career, which is a reflection of what the Team Alpha Male product is capable of doing in the cage.

Meanwhile, Yusuff has impressed so far through three UFC appearances but said he needs a win over someone like Fili to bring more validity to his surge up the divisional rankings.

“A win like this is what I need to get to the upper echelon of the division,” Yusuff said. “He’s held the same position in the division for a long time, so after this, I’m definitely going to be ranked in the top-15 after this. Then I’ll get a top-10 opponent.”

Yusuff has managed to put his opponent away inside the distance in two of his three UFC wins. He’s expecting a more difficult contest at UFC 246 but said he’s up for the task.

“I’d appreciate an easy day at the office, for sure,” Yusuff said. “But I know Fili’s a dog, and I’m a dog, too. We have the kind of style that could make (a ‘Fight of the Night’) kind of fight.”