Gabriel Gonzaga Says His Caution at TUF 22 Finale Was For His Health

Gabriel Gonzaga spoke with MMAjunkie about his fight with Derrick Lewis at UFC Fight Night 86 and more. Some highlights are below:

On his cautious attitude in his fight against Konstantin Erokhin: “I wasn’t overly aggressive because I was more worried about being punched…My objective, of course, is always to get a finish and win the fight. But, foremost, I have to worry about my own health. Facing a knockout artist made me more conservative because of the risks.”

On his belief that Erokhin greased: “I told the ref after the fight. I didn’t mention it during the fight because I didn’t want to come across like a complainer. I do think greasing makes a difference, but it’s not a big difference.”

On his fight with Lewis: “As always, I’ll do my best to finish the fight in the best way possible, via submission or knockout…I’m getting ready for him. I’m still training hard. What changes is that Derrick moves forward a lot more. Other than that, my strategy is the same. I’ll give my best and be ready both on the feet and on the ground.”