Max Holloway is adamant that he’s ready to join the highest tier of the UFC featherweight division.

If you don’t believe him, he said to tune into his upcoming bout with Cub Swanson.

Holloway (12-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) and Swanson (21-6 MMA, 6-2 UFC) are set to participate in an important 145-pound clash this Saturday at UFC on FOX 15. The contest takes place on the FOX-televised main card following prelims on the same channel and UFC Fight Pass at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

“Blessed” had faced some recognizable names in the octagon during his career. However, with a five-fight UFC winning streak to his name, the significance of a matchup with a 16-fight UFC/WEC veteran and longtime contender such as Swanson is greater than anything he’s previous faced.

Holloway said he’s prepared for it.

“Cub is a guy I used to watch when I wasn’t even in the UFC; in the WEC I was watching Cub, so he’s a great fighter,” Holloway told MMAjunkie. “I’m in this place in my mind where I feel great. I feel free. I just can’t wait to make this weight and go out there and show the world what I have to offer. People need to tune in. I get nervous, I’m nervous, but it’s a great kind of nervous.”

Both men primarily are strikers, which makes for a promising clash in styles. Holloway and Swanson are among the featherweight division’s all-time leaders in knockouts and overall finishes. They have the attributes to create a highlight reel in any fight, and that’s exactly what Holloway thinks will happen in this one.

“The matchup is perfect,” Holloway said. “He’s a striker and he goes for broke out there. I’m a striker and I go for broke out there, so I can’t wait. We’re going to go in there, stand toe-to-toe and see who falls down first. And I’m totally fine with that. If I can walk away with $50k or $100k (in bonuses), extra money is always fun.”

Holloway said he’s known about the Swanson matchup since prior to his last fight. He was told a spectacular showing against Cole Miller at UFC Fight Night 60 in February would get him the fight on FOX. When Holloway won by decision, he thought he failed to meet expectations. Fortunately, he still got the fight.

“They said they wanted a great performance; the only thing I thought was a great performance was a finish,” Holloway said. “I didn’t get the finish, so I thought I wasn’t going to get the fight. It was great getting the fight, but I was bummed. They made this great video of me hyping me up as a finisher and I didn’t get the finish. I has a great performance, but when you leave the fight in the hands of the judges you don’t know what they’re going to do.”

Once the fight became official, Holloway was afforded little time to rest before he jumped back into camp. UFC on FOX 15 takes place just 62 days after his most recent bout. That’s a quick turnaround, but Holloway said he had no issues with back-to-back training camps, especially given his current momentum.

“I’m a big believer in, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,'” Holloway said. “I’ve got something great going on. I’m on this win-streak with a lot of finishes and I know what I can do. My coaches know what I can do so there’s really nothing we’ve changed. All I can do is go out there and show what I’ve been working on for the last two months and get my hand raised.”

While Holloway will enter the octagon in search of his sixth consecutive victory, Swanson is simply aiming to get back on track. The 31-year-old suffered a lopsided loss to Frankie Edgar at UFC Fight Night 57 in November to break his own six-fight UFC winning streak.

Swanson was on the short-list of title contenders before he crossed paths with “The Answer.” He had minimal success in the contest, which means he’ll want to rebound with a strong performance. Holloway said there’s not much he can take away from the Edgar fight due to the difference in styles, but after that bout, he expects the best Swanson to date.

“After a loss like that, you want to get back in the gym, you want to get back in there and you want everybody to forget about it,” Holloway said. “So I’m expecting the best Cub Swanson anybody in the world has ever seen. He’s coming off this huge loss and was almost at a title shot. He didn’t get it and I think he’s got a fire under him again. I can’t wait to see what he has to offer when we step across from each other.”

With high expectations for Swanson’s performance level, Holloway said it’s crucial to show up at his best, too.

“Frankie showed me I need to get in his face and outwrestle him, but I’m not a wrestler, so that’s out of the equation for me,” Holloway said. “I’m going to go in there and do what I do best. And that’s being Max Holloway. I find a way to win no matter what. I’ll go out there and fight my heart out for 15 minutes if it goes that way and just leave it all in there. I’ve been training hard so I’m not going to just fall over. I’m going to go in there and have the fight of my life.”

The featherweight division has charged to the forefront of the UFC over the past year. Champion Jose Aldo and No. 1 contender Conor McGregor are embroiled in a heated feud that will conclude in a UFC 189 title fight, top contenders Edgar and Urijah Faber go to battle next month, and Chad Mendes just recorded a knockout win over Ricardo Lamas.

Though he is just 23, Holloway said he feels every win inches him toward a title shot. He knows a victory over Swanson would be a massive step forward and put him in consideration to face one of the names mentioned above.

Holloway said he often sees himself as an overlooked member of the division. But with the opportunity to compete against Swanson on a nationally televised platform, he believes more recognition and big-name fighters are on the horizon.

“I want to get in that top spot and I feel like people are sleeping on me in this division,” Holloway said. “I’ve got to show the world. I take it on step at a time and just keep proving why I belong up there with them. I’ve heard people say the winner of my fight will fight Chad Mendes. Or could possibly fight Frankie or Faber. It could even be a title shot. I’m not focused on that right now though.

“I’m focused on the task at hand and we’ll take it one step at a time. Cub is a guy I need to take serious. He’s got that one punch knockout power and he’s no joke on the ground. If I’m in the winning end, we’ll talk to the UFC and see what happens.”

For more on UFC on FOX 15, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.