Rafael Dos Anjos is excited for a possible matchup against former UFC Lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
Dos Anjos is in the midst of another title run in the 155 pound division. He has a tough matchup this weekend against Rafael Fiziev at UFC Vegas 58. He is looking to extend his run towards a potential title shot and a win could potentially earn himself a fight against a top five opponent.
‘RDA’ is hoping that Oliveira is the champion when it comes time for him to fight for the belt potentially once again. At the moment, Oliveira is stripped of the belt since he missed weight in his bout against Justin Gaethje. ‘Do Bronx’ should get the next title shot against a challenger, but it isn’t quite clear who that challenger should be. Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev both have legitimate claim to fight for the title next, but Oliveira has been throwing out Conor McGregor’s name as well.
Rafael Dos Anjos is hoping that he meets Charles Oliveira for the lightweight belt
“He’s on his moment. Fighters, it’s all about the mentality. [Charles Oliveira has] got his mental [attitude] on point, and he’s very confident, but we all know he has been knocked out in his fights, and he quit a couple of times. But he’s on his moment right now. He’s very confident. He’s on a good win streak.” Dos Anjos said (h/t MMAFighting)
Dos Anjos thinks he has a good chance to take Oliveira out, due to his history of being finished inside the octagon. ‘RDA’ also believes that Oliveira would not be able to control him on the ground, the same way he controlled Tony Ferguson and Dustin Poirier from top control and bottom.
“If you see when he took [Dustin] Poirier down, [Poirier] just grabbed him and tried to eat the time. It looked like he was desperate while he was on bottom. I play well on the bottom. I’m a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, and I know how to control the wrist and how to be calm on the bottom. With [Justin] Gaethje, he gave the back right away, and once you get in the scrambles and these guys give their back right away, that’s how Charles is good.”
Do you think ‘RDA’ will get another title shot?