Skador har hållit Raphael Assuncao (23-4) borta från oktagonen och senast han gick match var i oktober 2014. Assuncao hoppas kunna gå match igen i mars nästa år och har en motståndare i åtanke.
Assuncao vill väldigt gärna ha en rematch mot Urijah Faber (33-8) och känner att en match mellan dom idag skulle se helt annorlunda ut.
”I want to fight Urijah. We were supposed to be the main event of an UFC event in Rio in March, so it would be interesting. I didn’t fight right the last time I faced him. He was a featherweight and I tried to fight him using only my strength. I wasn’t technical or professional. I allowed him to take me down and he was able to wrap his arms around my neck. Today, it would be a different story, I evolved and I don’t fight emotionally anymore. I know what I have to do to beat him.”
Assuncao tycker att Aljamain Sterling (12-0) borde prata mindre och tycker att Sterling har blivit inspirerad av Conor McGregor (19-2).
”This kid started talking now. He has three wins in a row and finished some good guys, but he’s not refined. He has good jiu-jitsu and believes in himself, but with all due respect, his game wouldn’t work on me. Dillashaw kicked everybody’s ass, but not me. I’m complete, I complicate things. My game is different. Sterling must be learning from McGregor. He used to be humble and two fights later he has a new haircut, chains around his neck. He said my UFC purse can’t buy his gold chain. Rich or not, I will never change. How many guys have three wins in a row? About 15. How many guys have seven? Nobody. He’s pushing it.”
