Rafael Dos Anjos maakt geen deals met de vijand

De voormalig lightweight kampioen Rafael Dos Anjos ziet meerdere divisies in de UFC wel zitten. zoals 165 lbs en 175 lbs, maar voor dit gevecht zal hij toch op 171 lbs inwegen.

In een interview in april met Kevin Lee, die overigens ook vanaf lightweight (155 lbs) komt gaf hij aan dat hij en zijn tegenstander op 165 lbs zouden moeten inwegen om zo de UFC iets wat te dwingen om meerdere divisies te implementeren. Hoewel 'RDA' meerdere divisies een goed idee vind geeft hij aan geen deals te sluiten met de vijand.

“I saw that, man, but there’s no deal with the enemy on fight week,” dos Anjos told MMA Fighting on Wednesday. “It’s war now. There’s no deal. I’ll make the weight I signed to make, 171 with the extra pound. If he wants to make 165 to show he can do it, it’s up to him. I think it would be great to have this division, but I trained for 170 pounds and that’s what I’m going to do.

“Am I going to make deals with the enemy? No way. It’s war now. You make deals later, become friends later. Right now, he’s the man standing in front of me, he’s the man trying to take my dreams, and he won’t succeed.”

Rafael Dos Anjos verliet de lightweight divisie na verliespartijen tegen Eddie Alvarez en Tony Ferguson. Sindsdien heeft hij op welterweight een record van 3-2 behaald met overwinningen over Tarex Saffiedinne, Neil Magny en Robbie Lawler en verliespartijen tegen Colby Covington en huidig welterweight kampioen Kamaru Usman.

“I make 170 now and question why could I make 155 before,” dos Anjos said. “My body changed over the years. I had my moment at lightweight, and I don’t think the weight class changes the outcome of this fight. It’s healthier for both of us now, but I’m already adapted to 170. He will feel the difference, it takes a while. It’s not something that happens overnight.

“People say you’re no longer cutting 15 pounds, but that’s 15 pounds more he will have to carry. I remember when I fought Tarec Saffiedine in Singapore and got tired after three rounds. I thought I wouldn’t get tired because I didn’t cut much weight, but it was quite the opposite. I took some time for me to make the adjustments, and now it’s 100 percent.”

Toen hem gevraagd werd hoe hij deze partij ziet lopen gaf hij het volgende antwoord:

“I see myself putting pressure, imposing my game there,” dos Anjos said. “I know he will come strong and explosive early on, but I see many possibilities. I see myself knocking him out, submitting him. I don’t think it goes to the fifth round. I’m well-trained. I’ll dictate the rhythm and not let it go the distance.”