Strikeforce's Evangelista fights pressure, Aina in May 15 main event

Imagine the pressure that comes from fighting in a nationally televised main event for the first time – pressure to perform and prove you're worthy of the evening's top billing.

Or imagine the pressure of fighting in front of your hometown crowd for the first time – friends and family excited for the chance to watch you perform live.

Now put both of those situations together, add in the fact that you're trying to remain undefeated, and you'll understand what it's like to be Strikeforce lightweight Billy Evangelista (9-0).

"I think a lot of people want me to win, especially since I'm the local boy," Evangelista said on a recent media call. "I try to just ignore the pressure – mainly be by myself and really focus on what I've got to do instead of just the pressure, just what everybody else wants."

Evangelista is in the final days of preparation for his May 15 main-event bout with Mike Aina (11-6-1) at "Strikeforce Challengers." With the event being held in Evangelista's hometown of Fresno, Calif., the striking ace admits there's some excitement surrounding his appearance.

"It's a great opportunity for me," Evangelista said. "People have been asking me when I was going to start fighting in Fresno because I had been fighting everywhere else around here. I know Strikeforce had come here once before, so they were just like, 'Talk to them. Tell them to come over here.'

"You know I can't do that. (But) they're here now, and there are friends and family that are coming. I'm so excited. My Dad is going to come down and watch. That will probably be his first fight there with me."

While Evangelista hopes to impress his friends, family, and his employers, the five-time Strikeforce veteran isn't over-thinking the situation as he prepares for Aina.

"I kind of just go out there and feel the fighter and feel the fight, how it's going," Evangelista said. "A fighter can change from one day to the next. Today he's a striker, and tomorrow he's a grappler. If I just train for one counter-move and he changes on me, then my whole gameplan is kind of screwed up.

"I just try and prepare for anything that's thrown at me."

Aina will undoubtedly throw plenty at Evangelista. The Hawaiian has won four of his past five contests, with his lone loss coming in a hotly contested split-decision defeat in a September 2007 bout with Nick Diaz.

Evangelista realizes a decisive win over such a challenging opponent could prove his chance to move from Strikeforce's developmental shows to its featured performances.

"It's tough guys that I've fought, and it's only going to get tougher," Evangelista told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "If I showcase what I've got ... I would think I would get opportunities for more exposure on the bigger shows with Strikeforce."

But before that opportunity comes, Evangelista must battle the pressures of Friday night's bout and the challenges that Aina will bring to the cage.

"I just want to keep having great fights and fighting tough people," Evangelista said. "I know Mike's going to be a tough guy. I'm going to go in there and I'm going to try and do my best with him."

John Morgan is the lead staff reporter for MMAjunkie.com.