Den topprankade bantamviktaren Raphael Assuncao (27-5) har sakta men säkert byggt upp ett fantastiskt matchfacit i divisionen ända sedan sin debut i viktklassen år 2011. Han har i dagsläget ett matchfacit 11-1 i UFCs bantamviktsdivision med endast en poängförlust mot den regerande mästaren TJ Dillashaw som enstaka nederlag i viktklassen.
Nu börjar Assuncao tröttna på UFCs behandling och avvisandet av en titelchans.
“I don’t know any other reason I shouldn’t be the next guy, unless they go by Twitter followers,” sade Assuncao i intervju till MMA Fighting. “If they go by Twitter followers, then I probably won’t be that guy. And I can cry about it but that’s the truth, right? There’s nothing more I can do about it other than campaign and try to be a truthful guy. If they go by who has the most Twitter followers and Instagram followers, then I probably won’t be that guy. But if they go by the most deserving, the most consistent, and one of the best fighters in the division, I’ll be that guy. I’d definitely be that guy.
“I’ve never missed weight. I’m the most consistent guy in this division, probably up there with T.J., because T.J. is a pretty consistent champion,” sade han. “I think he’s one of the most consistent guys out there. Other than myself and T.J., there’s no other fighter in there who’s as consistent as we are.”
Gällande vad Assuncao bör göra för att få en titelchans så vet han inte ens hur han ska gå till väga.
“I have no idea, man. I have no idea,” sade Assuncao. “I’ve done everything that I have to do, I’ve done everything that I could do, and I don’t know what else to do. It’s a confusing time right now. It’s just a crazy time in the bantamweight division, I understand that, but let’s make this happen, man. I don’t know what else I’ve got to do. I really don’t.
“I’m starting to think of other options, like, get a good lawyer or something,” lade brassen till. “I don’t know what to do. I really don’t.”
1-1 mot Dillashaw
I dagsläget sitter Assuncao på fyra raka segrar i bantamvikt, med vinster över Aljamain Sterling, topprankade Marlon Moraes, en knockout över Matthew Lopez samt en poängseger över Rob Font på UFC 226 i sitt senaste framträdande.
Assuncao mötte och besegrade Dillashaw via delat domslut år 2013, men förlorade på enhälligt domslut i returmatchen på UFC 200 år 2016.
