Raphael Assuncao Believes He’s Already Done Enough for a UFC Title Show

MMAjunkie recently spoke to UFC bantamweight fighter Raphael Assuncao ahead of his upcoming UFC on ESPN+ 2 main event against Marlon Moraes. The fight is set for early February in Fortaleza, Brazil. It will likely determine the next contender for the UFC bantamweight title. Below are some highlights.

Assuncao on negotiating with Dana White: “It was a process in which I had to convince myself and a process in which we had to sort of re-negotiate some things. In the beginning, (UFC president Dana White) wasn’t involved, and then it seems he got involved in the matchmaking. They gave the idea, of course, and he put his foot down and said that this was the fight that he wanted to happen. So I said, ‘OK, then.’ And then it came out of (White’s) mouth, too, that this would be a fight that would determine the next (title) challenger. Also, my job is to fight. Even though a lot of people, especially those closer to me, have been saying it’s an injustice and all – not everything in the world is fair.”

Assuncao on why he thinks he already deserves a title shot: “I think I’ve already been credentialed to fight for a title for a while. Whether it’s a decision or not, I win the fights. And clearly. I haven’t had tough, hard, competitive fights. But, the way I see it, they were fights that I won well and I should have fought for this title already. … Everything I’ve accomplished, regardless of criticism and what people said about my style, regardless of it you can look at my record and it speaks for itself. It’s no easy task to keep a winning streak and to stay relevant and injury-free.”

Assuncao on being excited and motivated: “I think this will happen. And I’m very excited and very motivated for it to be me. To get another win, once more. And then, after this win, I can really sit back, relax and wait