Godofredo Pepey Says He’s Going to War Starting With UFC Fight Night 95

Godofredo Pepey spoke with MMAjunkie about his fight with Mike De La Torre at UFC Fight Night 95. The highlights are below:

On his loss at UFC on FOX 20: “I believe that my loss to Darren Elkins was an unfortunate setback. I hadn’t fought in over a year. I landed heavy shots and almost knocked him out. I also came close to submitting him, so I think the setback was due to being idle for so long. I am confident if we fought again, now that I’m active again, that he wouldn’t defeat me. I had lost my fighting rhythm. It happens.”

On fighting in Brazil: “To me, it doesn’t matter if I fight in Brazil or overseas. Of course, the fan support is completely different in Brazil. It’s much better to have the fans’ full support. I hope they give that extra boost.”

On his opponent: “Mike De La Torre is a very good fighter. He’s a boxer with good takedown defense. But my strategy has been put together, my training camp done, and I’m back to my fight rhythm. He won’t stop me. I’m training everywhere – muay Thai, boxing, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu. But I’m like a joker – I’m unpredictable. I can catch him at any moment.”

On his goals: “Without a doubt, I will stand out in my division. The Elkins loss was a bump in the road. I have the potential to defeat anyone in my weight class. Anyone in the top-10 could lose to me. MMA is a complete sport. I’m a complete athlete. I expect to surprise a lot of people – not just De La Torre, but fighters in the top-10.”

On his training for the fight: “My preparation has been intense. I’ve been sparring with training partners with the same build as Mike. They’re doing what he does. I’m very focused. Without a doubt, this will be a victory for Brazil. My arm will be raised. I’m like the joker in a deck of cards. I’m going to make some bad things happen. I’m going to war.”