Santiago Ponzinibbio has moved on from a potential fight against Rafael dos Anjos and has shifted his attention closer to the top of the welterweight division.
Tried as he might, Santiago Ponzinibbio is still yet to finalize a bout against Rafael dos Anjos. Ponzinibbio puts the blame squarely on one individual for that being the case:
“The reality is, dos Anjos said in the media that he wanted this fight, but he doesn’t,” Ponzinibbio told MMA Fighting. “He doesn’t want this fight. He never asked for it in the U.S., never made any noise to make it happen. He asked for it in Brazil so he wouldn’t look like a p****, but the truth is he doesn’t want to fight me.”
With Ponzinibbio’s frustration officially at its end, he is now thinking even bigger, angling for a fight against former long-reigning welterweight champion Tyron Woodley:
“I need to fight, man. This is one of the best moments of my career, I’m ready to become world champion and I don’t want to stay inactive. Since dos Anjos really doesn’t want to fight me, I think Tyron Woodley is a great fight. I’ve showed time and time again I’m ready to become champion.”
For those who think that Santiago Ponzinibbio is not being realistic in this request, he begs to differ and argues that, with seven consecutive wins under his belt, he is more deserving now than Woodley himself was when he received his title shot, let alone a potential #1-contender fight.
“I’ve done more than Tyron did when he first fought for the belt. I believe I’m ready to fight him,” Ponzinibbio said. “I will knock Tyron out and then I’ll fight for the title and knock Usman out. I will be the next welterweight champion in 2019.”
What do you believe the odds are that we see Tyron Woodley vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio next?
