[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG7f83w2awA&w=560&h=315]
The bitter taste of a near miss against Jon Jones at
UFC 247 still lingers for Dominick
Reyes.
Reyes dropped a five-round verdict to Jones in a light heavyweight
title bout on Feb. 8, but it was a fight that many observers —
including 14 of 21 media scorecards on
MMADecisions.com — thought “The Devastator” deserved to
win.
Reyes never got his desired rematch. Jones has since vacated the
belt with designs on moving up to take on new challenges in the
heavyweight division, while Reyes will square off against Jan
Blachowicz for the vacant 205-pound crown in the UFC
253 co-main event on Saturday.
“I have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder from that fight,”
Reyes admitted at UFC 253 media day. “I feel like this is my first
title defense in a lot aspects. This is just writing the wrong and
taking my crown.”
Jones is regarded by many as the greatest pound-for-pound fighter
of all time, but Reyes doesn’t believe that not defeating “Bones”
for the title will diminish the accomplishment of becoming champion
in any way.
“To be completely honest I could give a f—k less what anybody says
about my belt,” Reyes said. “I’ll have a gold belt and I’ll have
the money to match. So F out of here with that. … It’s another
opportunity to get my belt. I’m here to claim what’s mine.”
Reyes, who began his career with 12 consecutive triumphs before
losing a heartbreaker to Jones, has the opportunity to begin his
own legacy with a victory over Blachowicz in Abu Dhabi.
“[I’m] extremely excited about this moment. It’s the biggest fight
of my life,” Reyes said. “It’s an opportunity to be cemented
forever as the light heavyweight champion. At this moment in time
I’ll be the best light heavyweight in the world and nobody can take
that away from me.
“My goal is to be champ for the rest of my career and retire on
top,” he added. “That’s everybody’s dream. I’m facing down history.
It’s up to me to define my legacy.”
