Lucas Martins wants to punish Bryan Caraway at UFC 170, and he wants to do it for UFC champion Ronda Rousey.
Caraway, the boyfriend of Miesha Tate, once said he would “knock (Rousey’s) teeth down her throat” if she wanted to challenge a man. “Mineiro” plans to teach him a lesson inside the Octagon at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Feb. 22.
“Beating a woman is wrong, so that’s another thing that will motivate me to get there and beat his a–,” Martins told MMAFighting.com. “He will learn to get beat up by a man. Who beats a woman needs to get beat up by a man, so he will get beat up by me now.”
Caraway has since apologized for his remarks.
Coming off a pair of vicious stoppages under the UFC banner, Martins doesn’t expect an easy fight at UFC 170, but is confident he will add another win to his record.
“He’s a good fighter and I respect him a lot, but I’m there to defeat him,” he said. “I know that I’m young and still have a lot to learn, but he won’t stop me. He’s going to be just another one that I’m destroying.”
Martins and Caraway went the distance only once in their professional victories, with the Brazilian stopping most of his opponents via knockout. “Mineiro” respects Caraway’s ground game since he has 16 submission wins in 24 fights, but doesn’t think the fight will go to the mat.
“I’m training hard my jiu-jitsu and wrestling, like always. I will defend the takedowns and beat him up,” he said. “I know he will go down as soon as I put my hand on him. I will knock him out in the first round.”
Martins never fought outside of Brazil in 15 MMA fights, and feels ready for the boos.
“That’s the first time I’m fighting outside of Brazil, and I’m really happy about it,” he said. “I will be ready for this fight. I’m a little anxious for the travel. I’m fighting in his hometown, but I’m cool.
“When they close the cage, I won’t think about anything besides my opponent. I will be focused and won’t care about the boos. I know there will be some Brazilians in the arena, my family is also going for the fight, so I’ll have some people cheering for me.”
UFC 170 will be headlined by the women’s bantamweight title bout between Ronda Rousey and Sara McMann.