LFA’s Nick Barnes isn’t shying away from the added pressure of fighting UFC veteran Erick Silva at LFA 45 on Friday.

Legacy Fighting Alliance fan favorite Nick Barnes (12-3) will face UFC veteran Erick Silva (19-9) who will be making his LFA debut on Friday. But with all eyes on Silva, you’d think that Barnes might have a bit of pressure taken off his back — but he assures us, that’s not the case.

“It adds pressure,” Barnes told FanSided. “But I’m the kind of guy who likes that pressure. Knowing that he is a big name and a strong fighter, just gives me more excited to get in there and mix it up. The whole reason I took this fight was to test myself, I’m super excited about this.”

Both fighters are coming off losses, which means both will be hungry to get back into the win column. Barnes is coming off a second-round KO at the hands of the UFC’s newest prospect Curtis Millender. Silva is on a two-fight skid with losses to Yancy Medeiros and Jordan Mein. He hasn’t fought since his final UFC bout in Dec. 2017.

“He’s definitely a strong opponent,” Barnes said. “He’s dangerous, he’s heavyhanded and he comes in aggressively. He just left the UFC, it’s his professional debut so I feel like there is a lot of pressure on his side. So I’m gonna come in aggressive and kind of hard.”

Barnes added fighting a UFC veteran isn’t really any different from facing a regional fighter.

“Everyone I have lost to has gone on to the UFC,” said Barmes. “So I know that I’m close to getting there too.”

LFA 45 takes place Friday, July 20, 2018, live from the Morongo Casino. The fight will air on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.