TJ Dillashaw (12-2) kommer att försvara sitt bantamviktsbälte mot Dominick Cruz (20-1) på UFC Fight Night 81 och Raphael Assuncao (23-4) förklarar varför han vill att Dillshaw ska lyckas med att försvara sin titel.
Assuncao berättar att han tycker att både Dillashaw och Cruz har väldigt bra fotarbete och är duktiga på att byta stance. Han förklarar också att Dillashaw aldrig har mött någon fighter som är som Cruz och därför vet han inte hur matchen kommer att sluta.
HETAST JUST NU
“Technically speaking, they both move good, and they have really good angles; obviously T.J. picked up a little bit of his style off of Cruz – we all know that – and he implemented some other stuff of his own with his new coach,” sa Assuncao. “I just feel the angles of T.J. when he plays southpaw – it’s going to be an angle fight opposed to a brawl fight. T.J. kicks a little bit more. I think Cruz is going to be a little bit harder to hit than all the guys he’s faced. I’m not sure how it’s going to play out because they both have that style where they’re both kind of jerking and moving.
“The feet movement and changing stances all the time, I’m not sure how it’s going to play out. I can’t sit here and say, ‘Hey man, I think T.J. will knock him out or Cruz will knock him out.’ Just because they both have great movement, and their wrestling is pretty equal.”
Assuncao hoppas på att Dillashaw vinner, så att han kan få en rematch mot Dillashaw.
“Right now I was leaning toward Dillashaw just so I can fight him again, but Cruz is more of a friend, and he deserves it,” sa Assuncao. “Everybody knows his story. The guy never lost the belt. But I want to fight T.J. Dillashaw, so hopefully that don’t compromise the little bit of a friendship I have with Cruz, but I’m thinking of myself, and I just want to fight that guy again. I think I have the style to beat him.”
Assuncao känner sig inte hundra procent frisk ännu och därför gör det inget om det inte blir han som är nästa titelutmanare, men Assuncao förklarar att han fortfarande är hungrig och vill komma tillbaka till oktagonen.
“I’ve been injured so I can’t make a big deal or fight over something I deserve; I don’t want to demand something not being 100 percent,” sa Assuncao. “I’m still hungry for the sport. I feel that I have a lot to show. I have a lot to make up and show. I’m just excited to eventually get back active.”