Rafael Natal: ‘I will test Uriah Hall’s chin’ at UFC 187

Rafael Natal was the favorite in six of his past seven bouts, but the scenario has changed for UFC 187. The jiu-jitsu expert will be the underdog when he steps inside the Octagon against TUF 17 runner-up Uriah Hall, but wants to prove doubters wrong on Saturday night.

“He’s very famous,” Natal told MMAFighting.com, explaining why he believes he’s the underdog at UFC 187. “I love the Brazilian fans, but I always see people on social media saying that Hall will beat me up. I guess they don’t know my jiu-jitsu and my game. I’m a bad match-up for Uriah Hall. His jiu-jitsu is not on my level and he never fought anyone with a jiu-jitsu like mine.”

According to “Sapo”, the Jamaican middleweight is “dangerous”, but not well-rounded enough.

“He’s dangerous, has a good stand up game and is not a fool on the ground. He has good takedowns too. But I’m ready for everything,” Natal said. “I’m ready to stand and trade with him. I’m also ready to take him to the ground if I have to, but I won’t shy away from standing with him. He’s fast, moves a lot, but I will do something to slow him down and dominate him.

“What he did at the TUF house was impressive, and he fought some tough guys in the UFC, but nothing shocking. I’m well trained and I’m going to shock a lot of people. I will win, and I will win impressively.”

The Brazilian veteran trained with Renzo Gracie and Vinicius “Draculino” Magalhaes for UFC 187, the exact same training camp he did for Tom Watson in January, and expects the same outcome.

“Tom Watson didn’t go down because he’s really, really tough,” “Sapo” said. “I hit him hard and he was rocked a couple times. I’ve never seen anyone get punched like that without getting knocked out. But Uriah Hall doesn’t have that chin. I will test Uriah Hall’s chin.

“I really believe I will finish him,” he continued. “The last opponent I finished was Sean Spencer in 2013, and 2015 is going to be my year. I’m going there to tap him or knock him out, but I’m also ready to brawl for 15 minutes like my last fight.”

Rafael Natal was the favorite in six of his past seven bouts, but the scenario has changed for UFC 187. The jiu-jitsu expert will be the underdog when he steps inside the Octagon against TUF 17 runner-up Uriah Hall, but wants to prove doubters wrong on Saturday night.

“He’s very famous,” Natal told MMAFighting.com, explaining why he believes he’s the underdog at UFC 187. “I love the Brazilian fans, but I always see people on social media saying that Hall will beat me up. I guess they don’t know my jiu-jitsu and my game. I’m a bad match-up for Uriah Hall. His jiu-jitsu is not on my level and he never fought anyone with a jiu-jitsu like mine.”

According to “Sapo”, the Jamaican middleweight is “dangerous”, but not well-rounded enough.

“He’s dangerous, has a good stand up game and is not a fool on the ground. He has good takedowns too. But I’m ready for everything,” Natal said. “I’m ready to stand and trade with him. I’m also ready to take him to the ground if I have to, but I won’t shy away from standing with him. He’s fast, moves a lot, but I will do something to slow him down and dominate him.

“What he did at the TUF house was impressive, and he fought some tough guys in the UFC, but nothing shocking. I’m well trained and I’m going to shock a lot of people. I will win, and I will win impressively.”

The Brazilian veteran trained with Renzo Gracie and Vinicius “Draculino” Magalhaes for UFC 187, the exact same training camp he did for Tom Watson in January, and expects the same outcome.

“Tom Watson didn’t go down because he’s really, really tough,” “Sapo” said. “I hit him hard and he was rocked a couple times. I’ve never seen anyone get punched like that without getting knocked out. But Uriah Hall doesn’t have that chin. I will test Uriah Hall’s chin.

“I really believe I will finish him,” he continued. “The last opponent I finished was Sean Spencer in 2013, and 2015 is going to be my year. I’m going there to tap him or knock him out, but I’m also ready to brawl for 15 minutes like my last fight.”