Adriano Martins: I’ll Deserve To Be In The Top 10 After Beating Donald Cerrone
Rising UFC lightweight prospect Adriano Martins isn’t all that well known for his Octagon exploits quite yet.
But he has been making a ton of noise on the Brazilian MMA scene for years now. The former Jungle Fight interim lightweight champion made his UFC debut at last November’s UFC Fight Night 32, submitting Daron Cruickshank in a “Submission of the Night”-winning performance.
Having won his last six bouts and 12 of his last 13, the surging Martins is now matched up with the toughest test of his career when he faces Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at this Saturday’s UFC on FOX 10. Martins spoke up to MMAFighting.com to detail his excitement at fighting a top-ranked lightweight:
“It’s a big opportunity for me in the UFC. I want to be one of the best, so it’s a good shortcut to the Top 10. I’ll work hard to get this win. I believe I deserve to be at the Top 10 after this win, and I’ve worked my whole life for this.”
“I have a history in the sport in Brazil, but it’s not normal to get in the UFC and fight a top 10 fighter that was close to getting a shot at the title one year ago. I’m happy with this opportunity. I’m sure we’ll have a great fight. He has a name in the UFC, fought some of the best, and I’m happy to get in there against him. I know I’m ready for this challenge.”
Martins is a former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, but with 11 MMA knockouts to his name, he’s preferred to let his fists do the talking rather than grapple with his opponents. Cerrone is a highly talented kickboxer who has made a career out of using his size and skill to batter his opponents en route to decision wins, but he’s only knocked out two fighters.
On the other hand, Cerrone has tapped out an alarming 14 opponents. That could make for an interesting dynamic in this bout, but Martins said he isn’t afraid to go to the ground with “Cowboy”:
“I fought jiu-jitsu my whole life. I’ve fought a lot of jiu-jitsu world champions and I feel very comfortable on the ground. I don’t know if my jiu-jitsu is better than his, but I’m really comfortable on the ground.”
“I’ll do well if the fight goes to the ground. We always set up a strategy but you never know how the fight will be. I don’t know how I’m going to win, but as soon as I step inside the cage, I’ll only think about the victory. I want to win. I need to win this fight.”
Still new to the UFC, Martins sounds very intent on making a name for himself. He’s hungry and focused, and that makes him a very dangerous man. Cerrone, on the other hand, has recently admitted that he was simply going through the motions of training for recent bouts, and that he’s only focused on fighting because he is broke and needs the money.
He didn’t even care who his opponent was for this fight, and that could come back to haunt him. With Martins eager to climb up the ranks and fight for the belt, will Cerrone be another stepping stone on his rise to glory?
Photo: Mark D. Smith for USA TODAY Sports
