In a recent interview with BloodyElbow.com’s The MMA Circus, UFC bantamweight contender Raphael Assuncao reveals he was supposed to fight T.J. Dillashaw at Las Vegas’ UFC Fight Night 88 on May 29, but the former champion pulled out with an injury.
Raphael Assuncao has been sidelined since the end of 2014 with a lingering ankle injury, but the UFC bantamweight contender is finally ready to return to active mixed martial arts competition. According to the Brazilian, he has been training and is completely healthy as of now, and is simply waiting for a call from the UFC.
Well, another call.
“I’m 100% right now, ready to return to action,” Assuncao told BloodyElbow.com’s The MMA Circus. “We’re just waiting on the UFC now. T.J. Dillashaw and myself, we were offered a main event fight which was going to be the May 29 card. It looks like he was hurt then, so that fight didn’t happen. But that was the original plan for my return, May 29, T.J. vs. myself. He wasn’t ready. Somebody else took the spot.”
“The funny thing is that, [Dillashaw] said in an interview that he was ready to step in if either Urijah or [Dominick Cruz] was hurt, he was ready to step up a week later, but for our main event fight, he wasn’t ready. So try to figure that out,” he said. “As far as the ankle, I’m ready to get back in action. It’s been a long time. A lot of emotions right now. I’m a little anxious right now to get back to action. I’m ready to put my name back in line.”
With former bantamweight champion Dillashaw, who Assuncao defeated by split decision in 2013, out of a targeted rematch with Assuncao, the 33-year old is eager to get back in there against someone else and is beginning to become impatient with UFC matchmakers.
“I can’t sit and wait for anybody anymore,” he said. “That’s something that me and my good agent, we’re gonna discuss. I can’t sit and wait for people and hope. After T.J. pulled out of main event fight, I thought they would replace him with another fight. So I was expecting a replacement. But that didn’t happen.”
“A whole new main event was placed, and the card was done a couple days after. So I was kind of left there by myself, but hopefully we’ll get a fight soon. I’m still hoping for Dillashaw, which is a fight that makes sense if he wants the next shot. I think it’s my shot next anyways. I’ve been saying that for two years. By position and ranking, fight win streak, I’ve been the guy for two years now. I know things happen, stuff happens, stuff changes, but I think I’m still the guy.”
It would have made sense for Assuncao to remain on the UFC Fight Night Las Vegas card, which takes place on May 29, but instead the UFC opted for a Thomas Almeida vs. Cody Garbrandt 135-pound headliner instead. Both Almeida and Garbrandt are rising 135-pound contenders, so Assuncao vs. either man could’ve been setup. But, it wasn’t, and Assuncao doesn’t have any more of an idea as to why it wasn’t than anyone else.
“I didn’t ever receive any explanation. Just a whole new fight was put on the card. I respect the timing of those guys, two exciting guys, they’re up-and-comers, good time for young guys. I’m not worried. I think my place in the division is going to remain. I’m not too worried about these guys. They’re great boxers. One is more of a boxer, one is more of a traditional muay thai guy. I’ve seen it all. My brother has better stand-up than those guys. … I’m just ready to return.”
Assuncao says he is done with sitting back and waiting for opponents to come to him. He wants to be more active so he can earn title shot — one he believes he already has earned. He says he’s done with being the nice Brazilian he is known to be.
“Before, I was like, ‘I wanna fight this guy,’ I tried to play it out a little bit. Now I don’t care. I’m not here to play around anymore. I’m done with all the talk,” he said. “I’m not going to change who I am, I’m not going to force anything. I’m not here to waste time anymore.”
“No more Mr. nice guy. Oh, ‘Raphael, nice guy, speaks three languages, talks to everybody, he’s a nice guy, Americanized Brazilian guy.’ No more nice guy. No more nice guy for me. I think this mindset is going to help me in my return. And that’s all I’m thinking about right now.”
You can listen to the full interview with Raphael Assuncao on Episode 53 of The MMA Circus by clicking here.