[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2mDuCbBLsg&w=560&h=315]
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight
champ Rafael dos
Anjos may have a fight coming up in February, but that isn’t
keeping him from paying attention to current events. Dos Anjos (30-13) will be taking on Rafael
Fiziev (11-1) in an all-Rafael headliner on
UFC Fight Night 201 on Feb. 19. The two will square off inside
the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and he had plenty of thoughts on that
upcoming matchup. Before his fight card, however, will be UFC
270, which takes place on Saturday with a pair of championship
bouts at heavyweight and flyweight. When asked by Sherdog to choose
his favorites for those title fights, dos Anjos had no doubt
pointing to two new undisputed champions.
“[Deiveson]
Figueiredo is focused now like he was in the first fight,” dos
Anjos noted. “In that weight division, a guy with heavy hands like
him is always dangerous, so I’ll bet on him. In the heavyweight
[title fight] it will be more even, but I saw some videos of
[Francis]
Ngannou training with [Ciryl]
Gane, and the [Frenchman] was taking advantage, controlling the
distance, and hitting better blows, so I think he will get the
heavyweight title from his former partner.”
When it came to answering the question of which Rafael is the best
in the UFC, dos Anjos made sure to point out that this fight was
not his first choice. In the past, Fiziev tagged dos Anjos on
social media with that question, and dos Anjos did not like the
proposal.
“When you have a UFC belt in your room you may ask that,” answered
‘RDA.’ The ex-champ was aiming for higher-ranked opponents,
including names like Tony
Ferguson or Michael
Chandler, to advance in his old division. When informed by UFC
that neither of them wanted to face him, the Brazilian changed his
mind.
“UFC was in need of a main event for Feb. 19,” dos Anjos explained.
“I’ve been out of the Octagon for almost 15 months. The fact is
that I have a family to feed, and cannot sit on my couch waiting
for a perfect fight. Of course, I would rather face the most famous
and better ranked opponents like Chandler or Ferguson, but they
were not available; once February was a perfect date for me, I
accepted.”
The former champion made it clear that he was no “stepping stone”
for a man with a fraction of his UFC experience, and he fired back
at the prospect of him serving as a high-level gatekeeper.
“I’m a former lightweight champion who already fought for the title
of welterweight division,” the 37-year-old exclaimed. “Of course
the UFC will not give me a tune-up fight. But I truly feel myself
in the best moment of my career. I’ve used 2021 to fix up some old
bruises, and now I’m in my prime physically, technically and
mentally.”
He continued, “I have no doubt Fiziev is a tough kid, but if you
look at my history I never had easy fights. In the lightweight
[division], I’ve faced names like Khabib
[Nurmagomedov], [Anthony]
Pettis, [Nate] Diaz
and [Donald]
Cerrone; in welterweight, [Kamaru]
Usman, Colby
[Covington] and [Robbie]
Lawler. With all respect Fiziev deserves, this will be his
first five-round fight. I’ve already fought five rounds nine
times.”
The former champ is quite aware of the danger that the powerful
kickboxer Fiziev presents, and he has some ideas from his 43 past
fights about how to approach the 12-fight relative neophyte.
“All his opponents faced him in his comfort zone,” dos Anjos
pointed out. “I’ll fight MMA, and bring him some different
puzzles.”
Above all, dos Anjos wants to get his title back, and he credits
his move back to Brazil to get that plan in motion. Shifting from
camps like Evolve MMA and
Kings MMA, as well as his own team of RDA Academy, he feels
that his relocation to
Nova Uniao has made a huge difference for his training.
“Ten years ago, I moved to the USA with the goal to get a UFC belt.
Now, I’m doing the same, returning to Brazil. With the structure I
have in Nova Uniao, I’ll get that belt again,” the Brazilian
promised.
