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Gegard Mousasi thinks he matches up well with UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya.
Gegard Mousasi thinks he could be the man to dethrone reigning UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, telling theScore in a recent interview that he matches up very well with ‘The Last Stylebender’.
“It would be a good fight for me,” Mousasi said. “You have to be patient and not brawl with him. Because then he counters – and I’m good at the distance. That would be a great fight because I sparred with some guys he fought at Glory (kickboxing) and I did very well against them. So, I can measure with that. … But it’s a hypothetical, so it’s not going to happen.”
Mousasi currently competes under the Bellator banner, however, meaning the likelihood of a fight vs. Adesanya is slim to none. In fact, ‘The Dreamcatcher’ just signed a new contract with Bellator so the chances of him returning to the UFC while Adesanya is still champ are virtually non-existent.
“I talked to (Bellator President) Scott (Coker), and in (less than an hour), we had a deal, I think,” Mousasi said. “So, I’m happy, I’m very happy. … I’ve been treated very well. I feel like the payment is good. The relationship that I have with Scott, the Bellator staff, it feels like you’re part of a team, you know? It’s more connected, let’s say.”
Mousasi, who is one of the most decorated fighters in MMA, hasn’t fought since his split decision win over Lyoto Machida at Bellator 228. The former multi-promotion champion is expected to return to the cage against Bellator welterweight champ Douglas Lima at Bellator 243, where both men will collide for the vacant middleweight title. The targeted date for Bellator 243 is May 9, so don’t be too surprised if the event is postponed amid concerns over coronavirus.