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Some athletes are exceptionally nervous when it comes to sitting down for interviews. No matter how accomplished they are or how far into their careers they have traveled, some competitors just freeze up when they land on camera and the questions start rolling. Watch Every UFC Event On Paramount+ Two-time UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic is one of the more gregarious and playful people around in his everyday life, with a penchant for pulling pranks and cracking jokes, but the second you shift from chopping it up as acquaintances to “fighter and interviewer,” it’s like you’re complete strangers who were just laughing about mutual friends and hanging up on people randomly after saying, “One more thing…” at the end of a call. And then there are fighters like Takaya Suzuki, the 21-year-old Japanese prospect set to compete in the Road to UFC Season 5 flyweight tournament semifinals this week in Shanghai. “What’s up, man?” he asked from off camera as we sat down to speak on Monday evening, just a few days out from his clash with Joseph Larcinesse at Oriental Sports Arena on Friday. One of the most highly regarded competitors taking part in RTU this season, you wouldn’t know that Suzuki was a handful of days away from the latest in a constant cycle of “the biggest fight of his career,” as when he sat down for his interview, he did so excited and playfully. MORE UFC SHANGHAI: Fight By Fight Preview | Fighters On The Rise Some of that is surely youthful exuberance, as the promising young flyweight feels like a perfect example of someone who doesn’t know “the process” is not supposed to be this easy—a refrain that I repeatedly said to the current champion of his division, Joshua Van, all last year during his ascent to the top of the 125-pound weight class. Since losing his professional debut in the spring of 2022, it has been all green marks on Tapology for Suzuki. His last six wins have all come before seeing the third round, with five of them, including his quarterfinal victory over Otgonbaatar Boldbaatar in May, in round one. “My key is to trust myself and trust my team, trust my family, and love,” he said when asked the root of his success, the words racing out of his mouth as he shifted back-and-forth in his seat, barely containing his energy and excitement about being back at Fight Week. Last year, Suzuki began training at Kill Cliff FC in South Florida and competing in the United States, earning an April win on an XFC show in Deerfield Beach headlined by former UFC welterweight Takashi Sato and Chris Alvidrez, featured on Dana White’s Contender Series. Then in January, he ventured to Houston and claimed the Fury FC flyweight title with a second-round stoppage win over previously unbeaten American Antonio Figueiredo. When asked about the decision to train and compete in the United States, the streaking Japanese fighter said it was all a means to an end. “I’m gonna be Road to UFC champion — that’s why I was at Kill Cliff, in Florida,” Suzuki said. He feels the same way about this season’s flyweight tournament, viewing the competition as the path he needs to travel in order to get to his preferred destination inside the Octagon. “Nothing. This is just a step,” he said when asked about the competition and what it would mean to him to ultimately claim victory. “(This is just) the road to being champion.” The next step in his journey comes on Friday in Shanghai when he squares off with Larcinesse, an unbeaten 27-year-old Australian who won a split decision verdict two fights after Suzuki dispatched Boldbaatar in Macau. Larcinesse started well, firing on all cylinders and stinging Ryoga Arimoto several times in the first round before his Japanese counterpart steadied himself and took over the fight. READ: Week 3 Preview | Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 10 Everything hinged on the scoring of the second round, with two of the three officials seeing it for the Australian. “He’s okay,” Suzuki said politely when asked about Larcinesse’s performance just a couple days out from their sharing the Octagon together. “He’s okay.” Still chuckling after every answer and constantly shifting in his seat as if he were trying to escape invisible bindings that were forcing him to stay still, I asked Suzuki the origins of his joyous and playful personality, and what it is that makes him so tremendously at ease despite being in the midst of what is a massive moment in his professional career. “I love this time to go to fight; I’m so happy right now,” he began. “I love martial arts; that’s it. I just love martial arts. “[I inspired] myself, but I love watching movies, like Jackie Chan,” continued Suzuki, explaining where his passion for his craft and martial arts in general came from. “When I was a child, like six years old, I wanted to be like that, so I started karate, then moved to MMA. “My spirit is born to fight; I love fighting.” But when he crosses the threshold into the UFC Octagon on Friday to face off with Larcinesse with a place in the Season 5 flyweight tournament finale hanging in the balance, fighting isn’t the art form Suzuki said he wants to see from himself. “I wanna see myself dance in the cage,” he offered with a wide smile and quick chuckle when asked his expectations for his semifinal showdown in Shanghai. As for who he’d like to face in the finale… “Doesn’t matter! Doesn’t matter!” he exclaimed. “I’m gonna win all fights!”