Fernandes, one of the best jiu-jitsu specialists in the bantamweight division, puts his One FC title on the line on Friday against Masakatsu Ueda in Manila, Philippines.
“I really want to submit him,” Fernandes told MMAFighting.com. “He gives a lot of openings and gives his back a lot. Japanese fighters tend to give their back to hold your hand and basically don’t allow you do nothing. (Hiroyuki) Takaya did that in our fight, but I learned some tricks and I want to submit him.”
Ueda has been submitted only once in 22 professional fights, and the Brazilian knows it won’t be easy to tap him.
“He’s that type of wrestler that takes you down and holds you, like Chael Sonnen. He does that game, basically,” he said. “He just lays on top of you, but I have good hip escapes. If he takes me down and tries to hold me, I can work on omoplatas, triangles or even take his back. I have several attacks from the bottom and I know what I can expect from the fight.”
“I’m not expecting this to be an easy fight because Ueda is a tough kid,” Fernandes said. “He proved how good he is with wins over great Brazilian fighters. I trained hard focused on his abilities. I believe it’s going to be a great fight, and I will win again.
“One thing that I’m different from the other Brazilian fighters he has fought is that I understand wrestling, boxing, jiu-jitsu and muay thai. I understand his game, the way he shoots for takedowns. That’s the difference of a great fighter. I understand everything he can do in the fight.”
Fernandes, who unified the bantamweight belt with a decision victory over Soo Chul Kim last October, doesn’t worry about his title when he enters the cage to compete.
“I don’t focus on the title, I focus on Ueda,” he said. “He won’t get this title that easily. I’m going straight forward. If he wants my title, I’m well trained and it won’t be easy to take it away from me.”
Fernandes, one of the best jiu-jitsu specialists in the bantamweight division, puts his One FC title on the line on Friday against Masakatsu Ueda in Manila, Philippines.
“I really want to submit him,” Fernandes told MMAFighting.com. “He gives a lot of openings and gives his back a lot. Japanese fighters tend to give their back to hold your hand and basically don’t allow you do nothing. (Hiroyuki) Takaya did that in our fight, but I learned some tricks and I want to submit him.”
Ueda has been submitted only once in 22 professional fights, and the Brazilian knows it won’t be easy to tap him.
“He’s that type of wrestler that takes you down and holds you, like Chael Sonnen. He does that game, basically,” he said. “He just lays on top of you, but I have good hip escapes. If he takes me down and tries to hold me, I can work on omoplatas, triangles or even take his back. I have several attacks from the bottom and I know what I can expect from the fight.”
“I’m not expecting this to be an easy fight because Ueda is a tough kid,” Fernandes said. “He proved how good he is with wins over great Brazilian fighters. I trained hard focused on his abilities. I believe it’s going to be a great fight, and I will win again.
“One thing that I’m different from the other Brazilian fighters he has fought is that I understand wrestling, boxing, jiu-jitsu and muay thai. I understand his game, the way he shoots for takedowns. That’s the difference of a great fighter. I understand everything he can do in the fight.”
Fernandes, who unified the bantamweight belt with a decision victory over Soo Chul Kim last October, doesn’t worry about his title when he enters the cage to compete.
“I don’t focus on the title, I focus on Ueda,” he said. “He won’t get this title that easily. I’m going straight forward. If he wants my title, I’m well trained and it won’t be easy to take it away from me.”
