Nkazimulo Zulu says he will celebrate his birthday in style at EFC 62 on Saturday 19 August, when he defends his flyweight belt against Zimbabwe's Sylvester Chipfumbu.
Despite being out of action in the EFC for nearly two years, the talented Zulu (7-2-1) says ring rust is the last thing on his mind.
The EFC flyweight champion was invited to compete on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) reality show where he was coached by the UFC's Henry Cejudo.
After losing his bout against Japan's Shooto flyweight champion Hiromasa Ogikub, Zulu made it his mission to return home with an improved ground game.
"Being in the TUF house was a really good experience. It was great knowing I was one of the 16 top fighters from around the world," Zulu told KweséESPN. "I fought a very good guy who eventually lost in the semi-finals.
"It was an honour training with an Olympic gold medalist. It was a big step up for me, so for this coming fight I'll be a different animal."
Zulu will make his return inside the Hexagon on his 28th birthday and will face an equally skilled striker in Sylvester Chipfumbu (4-0-0).
Fighting out of Johannesburg, Zulu is known for his accurate striking and has won four fights via TKO. However, he is looking to show his fans a different side to his fighting style.
"I'm a choking hazard now. I've been working a lot on my jiu-jitsu with at Gracie Barra since I got back.
"I've never felt under pressure for any of my fights so this fight will be no different for me. The only difference in this fight is that I'm going to be a different kind of beast," said Zulu.
"I'm not going to hide it, I'll be looking for a submission and will end the fight on the ground. But before I do, I'll keep him busy and give him a taste of my one-two's.
"I already know my stand-up is better than his so I'm not going in there to test his stand-up game. I'm too fast for him, he won't touch me," he said.