Goiti Yamauchi Not Worried About Bellator 183 Opponent

In an interview with MMA Junkie, Goiti Yamauchi said he wasn’t worried about his Bellator 183 opponent Adam Piccolotti. The two fight tonight in a card that airs on Spike from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. Here are highlights:

Yamauchi on not being worried about Adam Piccolotti: “He’s good; he’s not a bad fighter. But none of his individual martial arts is at a very high level. His jiu-jitsu is so-so. His standup is pretty raw. But he shows up in good shape and has a lot of heart. I think it will be an excellent fight. I’ll win in a convincing way. He’s good, but I’m excellent. I’ll beat him. His striking, takedowns and jiu-jitsu are all average.”

Yamauchi on going to the top of the lightweight division: “I’ve been doing good work. I’m very happy, but I’m unsatisfied since I want to be the best in the world. I want to break records and make a new era in our sport. I truly believe in that. From a young Brazilian prospect, I’ve been able to make my name in one of the top promotions in the world. People have always doubted me and my team, but we’re among the best in the world.”

Piccolotti on coming back from a long hiatus: “I’ve had long layoffs in the past, so it’s nothing new to me. I’m really excited. Nerves and everything are definitely there, like usual – as they should be. I wish I would’ve finished a couple more fights that I didn’t. But I’m happy. I went out there and I’ve fought my ass off and I’ve made improvements every fight. I think I’ve represented myself and my team very well. I’m really happy with the competition I’ve had up to this point. Looking back on my career … I’ve had a pretty cool upbringing in terms of my opponents being pretty well-matched with me along the way.”

Piccolotti on learning from his losses: “I’ve lived my whole career with the mentality of: ‘Learn from my victories and learn from other people’s mistakes’. I think that stays true to me as a person. … I don’t want to ever (expletive) lose. It happens; I get it. And if someone’s better than me on that day, then it is what it is. But I’m ready to go out there and put my life on the line every single fight.”