As announced earlier this week, two title matches will be headlining WSOF 30 on April 2nd, as David Branch puts his WSOF Middleweight title on the line against Clifford Starks in the main event, while Jon Fitch and Joao Zeferino will battle it out for the vacant WSOF Welterweight title.
Rousimar Palhares, the former WSOF Welterweight Champion who was stripped of his title and suspended for two years by the Nevada State Athletic Commission following the controversy stemming from his fight with Jake Shields in late August, spoke with MMAFighting.com recently about the Fitch-Zeferino bout being contested for the title he never lost in the cage.
“I will root for Jon Fitch, but everybody knows I’m the real champion. The whole world knows that. That’s what matters to me. I will try to fix the mistakes I might have done. I will fix that, but I’m the real champion.
“I won the title and defended it. I’m the champion no matter what. I have the belt here at home. I’m the champion. They will crown a new champion, but I’m the real champion and everybody knows that.”
According to Palhares, who recently experienced the birth of his first son, Christian, back in February, being a father has already made him a better man and he will prove he has changed when he does eventually make his competitive MMA return.
“It made me become a better person right away. When he was born, I felt I’m a better person already. I started thinking what I did wrong, learned with my mistakes. I will come back better than everyone imagines.
“I will do everything I can to show I have changed, that I’m not the same guy, and everything will be alright. After a storm comes a calm.”