Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight
Raulian
Paiva does not just think he will win next week, but he expects
he will get a finish within two rounds.
On a three-fight win streak, Paiva (21-3) is scheduled to face
Sean
O’Malley (14-1) on the main card of UFC
269. Brazil’s Paiva spoke to Sherdog last Friday talking about
his upcoming challenge.
“After three straight wins, I thought UFC would give me a ranked
guy,” Paiva admitted, “but after all the hype over O’Malley, I
think a clear win over him will take me to the rankings
anyway.”
Training at
Team Alpha Male in California for the last two months, Paiva
believes the support of high-level sparring partners will give him
an edge in the fight.
“Unlike O’Malley, I love to train hard and be pressured,” Paiva
explained. “Here in Alpha Male, I can count on some of the best
lightweights in the world. There are no easy days.”
Paiva continued, “O’Malley is the opposite. I’ve heard he doesn’t
train with Kyler
Phillips anymore because the guy always gives him [a] hard time
in sparring. I gave a hard time to Phillips in my last fight, and
since then I’ve improved a lot. The only experienced guy O’Malley
faced, Marlon Vera,
he quit; he will not stand three rounds with me. I’ll finish him
[in] the second [round], no matter by knockout or submission.”
The Brazilian also revealed that Cody
Garbrandt, who will make his debut at flyweight on the same
night, was one of his most frequent sparring partners.
“Since I came here the first time, Cody has been one of the nicest
guys with me,” he said. “This time, once he will fight [Kai] Kara
France, who I already faced. I’ve tried to help him a lot. He also
helped me with his speed. I’m sure he will do great in the new
division.”
Although Garbrandt may be his primary training partner, Paiva was
quick to point to the his most important asset of the camp: “The
Boss” Urijah
Faber.
“Faber is such an unbelievable person,” Paiva gushed. “Seeing a
legend of the sport calling me up every day to train and believing
in my potential is just amazing, and [pushes] me to give my best
every single day.”
When asked about who he would like to face, should he beat
O’Malley, he has a name in mind inspired by his coach, Faber.
“If I win, I will challenge Marlon Vera,
who challenged Faber. If he wants to face our leader, he will have
to beat me and my partner Yadong Song
first,” Paiva confidently concluded.