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Aaron McKenna has returned home to headline in Dublin, but remarkably for a man who has 20 pro fights to his name, it’s his first time fighting on the Emerald Isle, and it’s a biggie. McKenna will make the walk last for the main event of the evening, where he’ll take on Etinosa Oliha for a vacant middleweight world title at the legendary 3Arena on Saturday night. All things considered, it’s a hell of a homecoming, and he’s excited to close the show on home soil. Watch This And Every Zuffa Boxing Event On Paramount+ “I got to fight in Ireland growing up loads of times as an amateur, but it's mad,” McKenna said. “To be a pro nearly nine years, fought in America 10 times, the UK nine, and then even in Japan. I fought in Japan before I even got the chance to fight in Ireland… Once I started out as a pro, I always wanted to get the opportunity to fight in front of my home fans, and I was starting to wonder if it would ever happen. But, signing with Zuffa, they've delivered this in my first fight with them, so I'm very grateful for this opportunity that Zuffa has given me. And to do it for a world title as a headliner, it makes it even more special, and I'm going to make sure I make the most of it.” Fighting on home soil can bring its pressures as well as its privileges, but for McKenna, it’s been nothing but positive as he’s prepared for the fight close to home and will get the chance to fight at a venue that has become iconic for its electric atmosphere over the years. Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass! Upgrade licence This video is not available in your country There was a problem while loading content. Please try again. “I think it's better in the fact that I got to do my training camp here for the first time,” he explained. “I usually go over to Las Vegas for my training camps before fights, but because this one's in Ireland, I have a gym right at my back door at the house, a fully equipped gym with strength training equipment, boxing bags, boxing ring, whatever, and just got the sparring in, and it's been best camp yet. “Recovery's been even better. I go in, get the rest straight away. There's no traveling, and I definitely feel this has been the best one.” Saturday's Full Fight Card Breakdown The event is even more special for McKenna due to the fact that his brother Stephen is also set for action on the fight card. It’s been a while since they last shared a card, but McKenna is happy to be sharing his Zuffa Boxing debut appearance with his brother, who has already impressed once under the ZB banner. “Me and Stephen, we fought on the same card before, but it was during COVID, so it wasn't really the same for the fans,” he recalled. “But it was good in the fact that when we were training, we got to do everything, tapering down together. So, like the sparring rounds get less and less in the lead-up to the fight. And he's cutting weight, as well as I am, so it's good sharp training for each other, but the fact that we're doing it together, it makes it even easier. “We've been training ever since we were six, seven years old, and have been dedicated our whole lives and put 100 percent effort into everything. And this fight, we're both in very good shape, and there's going to be two massive performances come Saturday night.” McKenna’s opponent on Saturday is Italy’s Oliha, who is also undefeated, with the 28-year-old putting his 22-0 resumé up against McKenna’s 20-0 slate. It’s a matchup the McKenna clearly relishes, and one he’s confident of emerging from victorious. FIGHT WEEK INTERVIEWS: Stevie McKenna | Etinosa Oliha | Joe Ward | Tyler Denny | Sam Hickey “He has a strong physical look, but the closer it's getting to fight night, the more I'm noticing he's starting to shrink in size, and especially his legs,” McKenna said. “He has a look of a bodybuilder that skips leg day. So, coming this fight, I think whether I want to box or push him around, he's going to be feeling the pace after a few rounds, and I'm going to take him to somewhere he's never been before, and that's the trenches.” McKenna’s performances en route to 20-0 attracted plenty of admirers from within the sport, but they also seemed to attract attention from a music A-lister, with West Coast hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar spotted at one of the Irishman’s early fights in California. “It’s not too often you see Kendrick anywhere, really,” said McKenna. “And the time he came to one of my fights in Fantasy Springs, which is four hours from where he lives in LA, was an experience that I'll remember for a long time because, like I said, he doesn't really go to many events. For something like that to happen, it’s special. So you never know. Someday in the future, you might see him at a fight.” The 3Arena will be reverberating to something a little more raucous than a Kendrick album this weekend, however, with the always-vociferous Dublin crowd set to deliver another unforgettable atmosphere at the venue that was once known to locals as the Point Depot. Follow Zuffa Boxing On The Web | Subscribe On YouTube | On X It promises to be a memorable night for McKenna, who heads into fight night with his sights firmly set on victory. And while he remains focused on the job at hand, he revealed his plan to eventually clean out the division of all its world title belts to leave no doubt over the identity of the world’s best 160-pounder. “Fighting-wise, I'm just focused really on this fight Saturday. So the most important thing is to get the win and become world champion,” he said. “But I've said for years I want to take over the middleweight division, and I plan to do that. And I believe I am the guy to take over the division and unify and win every single belt. And take over the next division after that.”