UFC middleweight and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu whiz Rousimar Palhares appears to be contemplating a move down to the welterweight division.
According to a recent report by GracieMag.com, the leg-lock specialist started looking into a possible cut in weight after joining Team Nogueira, helmed by brothers and MMA legends Rodrigo and Rogério Nogueira.
“My desire to get down to the welterweight division is great, but I don’t want to make a hasty decision,” said Palhares in a press release to the website. “I will only really do it if my body’s response is positive. I’m doing a fully integrated work of nutrition, fitness, supplementation and orthomolecular medicine. I’m with a very good team taking care of me.”
Palhares‘ decision to drop down to another division comes right off the heels of back-to-back, first-round losses, both of which ended via knock out.
“Toquinho” was most recently defeated this past December when former Bellator middleweight champ Hector Lombard made quick work of the Brazilian, finishing him with strikes less than four minutes into the opening frame. Interestingly, Lombard, who sports a similarly stocky frame, is also considering a move down to 170 as well.
Prior to the recent defeat, the leg-lock master was unable to finish Alan Belcher with his signature submission at UFC on Fox 3, resulting in a brutal, first-round TKO loss.
Fans will have to wait a few months before they can see a slimmer Palhares grace the UFC’s Octagon as the grappling ace is currently serving a nine month suspension after testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone following his bout with Lombard.
Standing at just 5’8″ tall, I think that this move would be great for Palhares, who’s been overpowered in the past by some of the bigger fighters in the promotion’s middleweight division.
The Brazilian must be sure that this weight cut will help him in his next fight, though, because a third straight loss could cost “Toquinho” his spot on the roster.
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