Rafael dos Anjos wants to make it clear that he didn’t move up a weight class to avoid stiff competition.
The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title holder begins his 170-pound journey on June 17. He’ll meet former Strikeforce welterweight ruler Tarec Saffiedine inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore for UFC Fight Night 111.
In a recent interview with MMAFighting.com, dos Anjos said he feels he can win the welterweight gold down the road:
“I didn’t leave my division to go after easier fights. I left the division because I had already reached the top, became champion, and health is the top priority. Some fighters leave their divisions or cut down in weight to go after easier fights, but I left the division for my health because my body reached its limit. … I believe that a win would put me in the top 10. When you fight the champion and win, you become the champion. If you beat the No. 10 (ranked fighter), you become the No. 10. I think (the win) puts me in this mix, and that’s my goal. No rush, but my goal is the welterweight belt. I think I have what it takes to get there. But I’ll do at welterweight what I did at lightweight, no rush. I’ll slowly get there. I have the qualities to get there. But a win over Tarec Saffiedine will definitely put me in this mix.”
