UFC Auckland: Joshua Culibao booked as replacement to fight Jalin Turner at UFC Fight Night 168

Joshua Culibao will make his UFC debut in Auckland. Photo / Instagram.

When the UFC called Joshua Culibao with the offer of a fight on their Auckland Fight night card, the undefeated prospect was quick to respond.

The offer: a fight on two weeks' notice against an opponent making his fourth UFC appearance in a weight class above where Culibao has spent his entire professional mixed martial arts career to date.

Speaking to the Herald, the 25-year-old Australia admits he gave it absolutely no thought before accepting the fight.

"If the UFC calls you up, you don't say no; you jump to whatever they offer you," Culibao says. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you just don't turn these things down. It's as simple as that – if the UFC call you up, you answer. That's it."

The featherweight prospect (8-0) will make his UFC debut in the lightweight division, facing American Jalin Turner at Fight Night 168 at Spark Arena on February 23 as a replacement for countryman Jamie Mullarkey, who was forced to withdraw due to injury.

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While Culibao will make his first walk to the octagon as a lightweight, he doesn't intend to stay at 155lbs (70.3kg) as he is best suited to the 145lbs (65.7kg) division.

He's not closing the door on more fights at 155lbs, though, and says a solid performance against Turner could open him up to fighting between the two weight classes.

"I've said 'look, I'll fight whoever, whenever. You just tell me'.

"My coach has been saying if I feel good at lightweight maybe we can stay there, but for me personally, I think we go back down to featherweight. I feel that I'm sharpest at featherweight."

It's the second time in the space of 12 months that Turner has had a late change of opponent when scheduled for a bout Down Under, after Alex Gorgees was forced out of their encounter at UFC 234 in Melbourne last February.

On that occasion, he ended up fighting Australian Callan Potter and won by first round knockout. Potter has since moved up to the welterweight division and found success in the heavier division.

Turner (8-5; 1-2 UFC) poses the biggest test of Culibao's career. Standing at 191cm with a 192cm reach, Turner will have a very noticeable size advantage over the 177cm Culibao, who expects his stature will give him the element of surprise.

"He's got all the physical attributes over me, but I'm going to be ready for it," Culibao says.

"What I think he's going to be more surprised of is actually how strong I am. He's probably thinking I'm just a featherweight and not as strong, but if I get my hands on him, he's going to feel that."

UFC Auckland card

Lightweight: Dan Hooker (NZ) v Paul Felder (five-round main event)

Light heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (Aus) v Michal Oleksiejczuk

Heavyweight: Ben Sosoli (NZ) v Marcos Rogério de Lima

Strawweight: Karolina Kowalkiewicz v Yan Xiaonan

Lightweight: Brad Riddell (NZ) v Magomed Mustafaev

Featherweight: Kevin Aguilar v Zubaira Tukhugov

Lightweight: Joshua Culibao (Aus) v Jalin Turner

Welterweight: Jake Matthews (Aus) v Emil Meek

Welterweight: Callan Potter (Aus) v Kenan Song

Flyweight: Kai Kara-France (NZ) v Tyson Nam

Strawweight: Loma Lookboonmee v Angela Hill

Welterweight: Maki Pitolo v Takashi Sato

Flyweight: Priscila Cachoeira v Shana Dobson