Heritage is something in which Ricardo Lamas takes a tremendous amount of pride.
The product of a Cuban father and a Mexican mother—two countries where heart and the fighting spirit are signature attributes of their athletes—the future featherweight title challenger aspired to embody those qualities that produced so many great fighters before him.
Fortunately for Lamas, it didn’t take him long to discover those elements were ingrained in his genes, and he’s been putting them to the test on his mission to become the best 145-pound fighter in the world.
And while there have been setbacks along the way, those are the moments where the Chicago native’s true fabric and mettle are brought front and center.
The 32-year-old MMA Top Notch representative had his four-fight winning streak snapped early this year when he came out on the business end of his long-awaited title tilt with featherweight king Jose Aldo.
“The Bully” had spent the majority of 2013 jockeying for a shot at the Brazilian phenom, and when that opportunity eventually materialized at UFC 169 back in February, the Nova Uniao product simply proved to be too much.
In the chaos that is the current title picture at 145 pounds, the loss to Aldo could have easily sent Lamas to the outer reaches of the divisional top 10. Yet he wasted no time getting back into the Octagon and the win column as he defeated scrappy Brazilian Hacran Dias four months later at Fight Night 44.
Not only did his victory over Dias serve to assist Lamas in shaking off his first loss since 2010, but it also put him right back into the heated mix of the featherweight division’s upper tier, where every fight comes equipped with potential title implications.
That said, Lamas doesn’t expect his upcoming bout against surging upstart Dennis Bermudez to catapult him to the front of the crowded line in the featherweight mix, but it is precisely the caliber of fight he’s looking for.
“The Menace” is a on a seven-fight winning streak, and Lamas would love nothing more than to stop that cold. But perhaps more importantly, on a personal level fighting in front a huge crowd in Mexico has been something he’s aspired to do for as long as he can remember.
Therefore, stepping into the cage at UFC 180 this Saturday night in Mexico City will be one of the biggest moments of his career, one he’s determined to make memorable.
“As soon as we found out the UFC was going to Mexico City we were immediately on the phone bugging Sean Shelby about getting on this card,” Lamas told Bleacher Report. “Sean is pretty good about giving us what we want, but he didn’t promise us anything, so we were kind of waiting around for a little bit. But he came through, and now I’m fighting in Mexico City. I’m really excited about that.
“This is a great fight and has the potential to be the ‘Fight of the Night.’ Giving the fans a good show they can enjoy is the main thing I’m concerned with. I’m coming to win. We are fighting in Mexico City, and I feel I’m going to have the home-court advantage there. I’m going to be comfortable and will have the support of the crowd. It’s going to be a great night.
“I think a win over Dennis will put me back into title talk again,” he added. “I know it won’t get me another title shot, but it will put me in a position where one or two more wins will get me back to having an opportunity to fight for the title. I’m excited to get in there and mix it up with Dennis and see what the future holds.”
With Lamas hoping to make another title run in 2015, defeating Bermudez will be a crucial factor in that equation. The Ultimate Fighter Season 14 finalist has been on a tear of late, rocketing up the featherweight ranks on the strength of an impressive seven-fight winning streak. Furthermore, throughout that run the New York native has shown a serious progression with his skill set.
Where Bermudez was once thought to bring a straightforward wrestling attack, his most recent performances have shown a different type of fighter who brings much more than a one-dimensional offense to the cage.
Nevertheless, Lamas believes he’ll have the advantage wherever the fight goes and plans on putting that theory to the test at UFC 180.
“[Bermudez] is a great fighter,” Lamas said. “He’s young and he’s hungry, but I believe the amount of experience I have with being in there with the best in this division is going to make a big difference .There isn’t much he can bring to the table that I haven’t seen yet. He’s a talented fighter, but I believe I’m better than him everywhere, and my abilities are going to outshine his just a bit more on fight night.
“I’m the best fighter I’ve ever been right now. I’m in my prime, and I’m just going to keep growing with each and every fight.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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