Rafael dos Anjos is ready for what he believes is a “fresh start.”
The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title holder is moving up to the welterweight division. Welcoming him to the 170-pound division will be former Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine. They’ll do battle inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore on June 17.
In an interview with UFC.com, dos Anjos explained why he feels moving up in weight is a relief:
“It feels like a fresh start. I feel like I’m starting over. I had my 155 title run and I made it to the top, and now it’s time for new things. I decided to move up a weight class, it will be better for my health, it will be better for me in my life, and I’m excited for it. I don’t have to put my body and mind under that stress anymore. It’s so stressful and it’s not just fight week or the weeks before. It’s two, three months of stress. And another thing (beneficial about moving to welterweight) is that I’ll be able to push harder. I cannot be the biggest guy in the division, but you can be sure I will be the guy pushing harder. I will push the pace because at 170, my body will be fresh and I will be ready to push hard for three or five rounds.”
