Top Contender Believes He’s Close To Title Fight Against Daniel Cormier

The UFC light heavyweight division is in an interesting place right now.

It’s champion Daniel Cormier has his next fight lined up but it won’t be a title defense. But rather, he is slated to challenge Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title at the upcoming UFC 226 pay-per-view event this summer during International Fight Week.

Jimi Manuwa is that top contender who believes that he is close to a title shot and if he can pick up a few big wins, then he can get a crack at the title.

Keep in mind that he is 2-2 in his last four bouts and is coming off a loss to Volkan Oezdemir. He has also lost fights to Anthony Johnson and Alexander Gustafsson.

Manuwa is slated to fight Jan Blachowicz in the co-main event of the UFC London (Fight Night 127) event.

To promote this fight, he spoke with the UFC’s official website to preview this fight and talk about why he thinks he’s close to a title fight.

“I think, realistically, I need at least one more big win, if not two,” he said of a shot at Daniel Cormier’s belt. “I think people want to see the rematch with Volkan (Oezdemir) or me with someone like Glover (Teixeira). But who knows.

After this fight with Blachowicz, I’m definitely in the mix for it. Me and DC don’t like each other and that goes without saying. So I think people do want to see me fight him.

People might write me off against him, but I believe in myself and what kind of fighter am I if I think, ‘Oh if I fight him, he’s going to take me down and do this or do that.’ I believe in myself and I believe in what I can do.”

Keep in mind that Cormier and Manuwa have built up quite a rivalry over the last couple of years. But despite all of that, they have yet to fight each other inside the Octagon under the UFC banner.