Det gick bra för Artem Lobov under 2016 trots att han startade med domslutsförlust. Efter två raka segrar är ”The Russian Hammer” nu ute efter större utmaningar och han siktar högt.
Artem Lobov (13–12–1-1 NC) är ute efter sin femte UFC-match efter att ha samlat ihop ett matchfacit på 2-2 sedan han skrev kontrakt med organisationen i 2015.
Den 30-åriga ryssen har just nu två raka segrar och imponerade senast när han tog sig an Team Alpha Male-kämpen Teruto Ishihara (9-3-2) och vann via enhälligt domslut.
Han siktar nu in sig på UFC Fight Night 108 i London men säger att han ännu inte hört något från organisationen. I en intervju med SevereMMA säger han sig vara besviken över det stora antalet fighters som inte är villiga att slåss:
“I’ve always prided myself on fighting anyone, and back when I was on the European scene I thought that everyone in the UFC was the same way,” sade Lobov till SevereMMA. “Now that I’m in the UFC and I’m watching all the greatest fighters in the world compete, I’m quickly beginning to realize that there are not that many guys that want to fight.
“Everyone wants the money, everyone wants a good life, but they don’t want to fight. You see it often when a guy gets a win. You don’t see them for a while because they want to ride the wave of the win and not think about fighting. I’m not like that at all. I love fighting, I got into the sport because I love fighting and I want to do it as often as I can.”
”The Russian Hammer” avslöjar att han var ute efter en match mot Mirsad Bektic (11-0) men efter att Bektic fått en match bokad så siktar han sig istället in på två av de mest omtalade slagskämparna under 2016: Doo Ho ”Korean Superboy” Choi (14-2) och Cub Swanson (24-7).
“Really I’m leaving it up to UFC to decide my next opponent. Sean Shelby is the matchmaker, that’s what he’s good at. He’s been doing this for many years and he gave me a good matchup for my last fight. I even told him how grateful I was for him putting that fight together after it. I think he’ll give me an exciting matchup, but I’m ready for everyone. I wanted Mirsad Bektic, but I seen recently that he has been matched for UFC 209, so it’s not going to be him.”
“Cub Swanson or ‘The Korean Superboy’ would be a really good fight. Their last fight was great and I really think I match up well against either of those guys. I really think that would be a good one. With Cub especially, I think that would be a very big fight for London. I think the fans would like to see me in their with ‘The Korean Superboy’ in London as well.”
Lobov säger att han skulle göra sig väldigt bra emot Choi och att han skulle kunna vara den som knockar ”The Korean Superboy” ut ur UFC för alltid:
“If he fights me, it’s over for him. That would be it. When you have two losses in a row then the shine really comes off you. Even though his last fight was a loss, a lot of people think it was one of the best fights of the year. It was a great fight against Cub Swanson, so that didn’t bring down his stock too much.
“Another loss to me, and it would be all over for him,” sade Lobov.
Vem vill du se Lobov möta härnäst?
Omslagsbild: Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
