Top middleweight talent Gegard Mousasi is expecting a title shot with a win over Weidman at UFC 210.
Multi-promotion champion Gegard Mousasi has had mixed results since joining MMA’s premiere promotion, the UFC, in 2013 but appears to have finally found his rhythm.
The Iranian-born fighter is currently riding a four-fight win streak, finishing his last three opponents with strikes in the first and second rounds.
Mousasi is supremely confident heading into Saturday’s UFC 210 PPV against former middleweight champ Chris Weidman, and says he has the perfect gameplan to counter ‘All-American’s’ predictable style.
“I studied tapes, and he always fights the same way: He comes, he pressures, looking for the takedowns,” Mousasi told MMAjunkie on Wednesday. “He doesn’t shoot when he goes back – so that’s an advantage we’re going to have to take.”
“My standup is better, and this is no wrestling fight,” Mousasi said. “I worked a lot on my takedown defense – I don’t need to be a wrestler. I just need to defend it. This is MMA – this is very different from wrestling. I’m expecting a tough fight. If he makes mistakes and I can finish him, I’ll do that. He has heavy hands – he’s not afraid to throw punches.”
The former DREAM, Strikeforce and Cage Warriors champ believes that a win over Weidman provides him with more than enough ammunition to stake his claim for a title shot against the winner of Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre in the Summer.
“I deserve (a title shot) simply because I have a whole history behind me, and if I beat Weidman I definitely deserve it,” he said. You have ‘Jacare’ and Yoel Romero there. If the UFC hadn’t made the (title) fight with (Bisping) and Dan Henderson, or the ‘GSP’ fight, they already would’ve fought and it would be my chance. Now I have to wait (and) risk everything.”
UFC 210 will feature Mousasi vs. Weidman as the co-main event and takes place Saturday, April 8, at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.