Det finns inte mycket kärlek mellan Urijah Faber och Dominick Cruz. Ändå har Faber bett UFC att ta extra väl hand om rivalen. Han vill nämligen inte att Cruz ska backa ur matchen på grund av skador.
Rivaliteten mellan Urijah Faber (33-8) och Dominick Cruz (21-1) har pågått sedan 2007. De har hunnit med två matcher mot varandra och har vunnit varsin. På UFC 199 har de chansen att visa vem av dem som är bäst, en gång för alla.
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I en intervju med Fight Network berättar Faber om ordkrigandet inför fighten.
”I’ve always been under that guy’s skin. I don’t really think about him but he spends a lot of time thinking about me. I think the reason is because I’ve been fighting. He’s been sitting around doing whatever. He’s been commentating. I’ve been fighting, man.
I’ve had my mind full doing, doing, doing. I like the banter back and forth. He’s okay at it. I think he thinks he’s better than he is at it but I enjoy it.”
Faber är glad över att få chansen att möta Cruz, men har varit orolig för att motståndarens skadehistorik skulle komma i vägen.
”That has been a concern. Part of it’s a testament to him working hard, part of it’s a testament to having a weird style, part of it’s a testament to him competing in a sport he’s probably not built very well for, but it’s a concern to make sure he makes it.
I’ve asked the UFC to take some extra precautions to make sure there are people on hand to cover his nooks and crannies and all that good stuff to make sure he makes it.
I’m just hoping. We’re this close, I hope he gets there.”