World Series of Fighting 4 headliner Angel DeAnda is an unheard of 14-1 underdog to highly regarded kickboxer Tyrone Spong, but that doesn’t mean “The Dream” is ready to lay down in tonight’s main event.
As a matter of fact, he believes he can beat Spong striking and after that, he’d like a step up in competition: UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Check out DeAnda‘s bold words in an interview with Bloody Elbow:
If, no, when I beat Tyrone Spong on the feet, then everybody is not going to be saying that I’m just some backyard brawler … I’ve got technique and I’ve been training and refining that technique for five years. I’m great on my feet and on the ground. Everybody is going to see that I’m for real. If I could fight anyone, I would like to fight Jon Jones. I think I can beat him. I think I can knock him out, too. I’d like to fight him or whoever is considered the best in the world that’s at a reachable weight class that I can get to. I don’t want to fight in a division that would be easily taken over. I want to compete and push myself. I want to fight the best.
Needless to say, DeAnda truly believes he is capable of taking out Spong. To his credit, DeAnda is riding a four-fight win streak, winning each bout via TKO.
This matchup is only Spong‘s second mixed martial arts bout, but he has been a world-class kickboxer since 2001.
Should DeAnda pull off the miraculous upset tonight, it still seems fair to say that Jones would be a little above his level.
Jones boasts a 12-1 record inside the Octagon, with his only loss being a highly controversial disqualification for using 12-to-6 elbows against Matt Hamill back in December 2009.
Since then, “Bones” has rattled off nine straight victories, including eight finishes, and has a chance to break the UFC light heavyweight title defense record (five) at UFC 165 next month when he takes on Alexander Gustafsson.
Will DeAnda prove oddsmakers and fight fans wrong by making it look easy against Spong tonight, or is he simply destined to be on the wrong end of a highlight reel-worthy knockout?
John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com.
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