The first of four quarterfinals for the Absolute Championship Akhmat lightweight
tournament is official.
The promotion announced on
Thursday that Davi Ramos
(10-4) would be facing Artem
Reznikov (22-6) in the first leg of the ACA’s lightweight grand
prix. The two will throw down in Sochi, Russia, at the Red Arena on
June 17, at the event titled ACA 140.
Ramos was recently released from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the 2015
ADCC champion celebrated his new fight on his Instagram
immediately after the news broke. The Brazilian spoke to Sherdog
about this matchup on Thursday, discussing his improved training
camp and how he will ready himself for this kind of challenge.
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“I was prepared since I was nine to test myself against the best,
and definitely Artem
Reznikov is one of them,” Ramos explained. “I’m already
training hard to face him on June 17 in Sochi in my first fight. I
evolved a lot during all [the] time I kept training, making myself
available to fight in UFC, even in welterweight or middleweight
division. I’m really hungry to win this tournament, and Artem will
face my best version.”
His opponent out of Kazakhstan is riding an eight-fight win streak,
and he presents a style similar to the likes of Arman
Tsarukyan and Islam
Makhachev. Both of those Russians defeated him in a similar
fashion, ultimately leading to the conclusion of his UFC contract
with an
awkward lull in getting fights. Despite this, Ramos is not
overly concerned with Reznikov’s skillset.
“The wrestlers always avoid [taking] me down, like Tsarukyan and
Islam did, and I don’t think Artem will be any different,” Ramos
noted. “The big difference will be the new weapons I’m bringing.
I’m ready [for] a five-round war, but my goal is finish the fight
[in] the first round.”
According to the “Tasmanian Devil,” the addition of Raoni
Barcelos and his father Laerte Barcelos, who left Pedro Rizzo’s
team to train with him, is incredible. He expressed his
satisfaction with the new teammates to prepare for a wrestler like
Reznikov, and others that he could fight down the line should he
make it to the semifinals and beyond.
“[I] have a sparring partner like Raoni, a Brazilian wrestling
champion, Rousimar ‘Toquinho’ Palhares and a boxing champion like Erivan Conceicao
in [my] daily routine is helping me to reach my prime. My goal is
win this tournament, and I’ll show how hungry I am on June 17,”
Ramos concluded.