Rafael Dos Anjos Gets The Next UFC Lightweight Title Shot
With dominant wins in his last three bouts, UFC lightweight veteran Rafael dos Anjos inched dangerously close to a coveted title shot by utterly dominating bad boy Nate Diaz in the co-main event of last night’s (Sat., December 13, 2014) UFC on FOX 13 from the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona (watch highlights here).
Dos Anjos used a lethal assault of low kicks and wrestling to make Diaz look silly in the octagon, leaving his future in the stacked UFC 155-pound seriously in question. The only thing standing in the way of dos Anjos’ shot at gold is his loss to No. 1-ranked Khabib Nurmagomedov at April’s UFC on FOX 11. However, according to UFC President Dana White, “The Eagle’s” knee injury, which he suffered right after signing on to face Donald Cerrone at UFC 178, is keeping Nurmagomedov from fighting for the belt.
Because of that, White spoke up at the UFC on FOX 13 post-fight press conference to clarify that dos Anjos will most likely be next to face lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, who is on board with either bout:
“Pettis texted me right after the fight and said ‘wow, [dos Anjos] murdered him. I’m ready to go. I’ll fight either one of them.’
I would say if Khabib is healthy right now, probably Khabib (gets the shot). But he’s not. So it’s dos Anjos.”
It’s unknown as to just when dos Anjos will face off with Pettis, but the dynamic champion will most likely want to get back into the cage as soon as possible after returning from an almost 15-month absence at December 6’s UFC 181.
Apparently that would be just fine with dos Anjos, who asked for a title shot as early as next week:
“I’ve been in the UFC for six years. I have 17 fights. I moved to California three years ago to chase my dreams and I’ve been working a lot. I get better every day, I feel that I get better every day, and that’s my dream. I want to be the first UFC lightweight Brazilian to hold the belt.
For the title, I’ll fight [Pettis] next week. That’s what I want. I’m ready to go.”
Dos Anjos has undoubtedly paid his dues with his lengthy tenure in the UFC, and he’s in the best shape of his career. Training alongside UFC interim heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum at Rafael Cordeiro’s Kings MMA, dos Anjos is the last man to defeat both Benson Henderson and Donald Cerrone.
Will he soon add “Showtime” to that list, and even if he does, will he have any shot in a rematch versus Nurmagomedov?
Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale for USA TODAY Sports
