Rafael dos Anjos Wants His Next Fight to Be Closer to His Family

Rafael dos Anjos spoke with MMAjunkie for a new interview discussing his next fight and more. Highlights are below:

On wanting to fight closer to home in the US: “I don’t care who I fight, but I just don’t want to leave my family. I think my family is first. I can’t leave a young kid with my wife alone here. She’s going to get a C-section, so she’s going to need help. I’m the man. I need to be here supporting my wife and my family. That’s my job, and I’m not going to leave my family to fight in another country and fight far away from home.”

On turning down a fight with Santiago Ponzinibbio: “When (UFC matchmaker) Sean Shelby called me to offer that fight, my first question was, ‘Where?’ I didn’t even ask him who I’m going to be fighting. He goes, ‘Argentina.’ I said, ‘Sean, last year I fought two times in Canada, I fought in Singapore, and one time here in the U.S. I want to stay around, especially on that date – not because it’s Santiago Ponzinibbio. (Ponzinibbio is) making a big drama saying that I’m afraid to fight him in Argentina. No, I’m not afraid. I told him to come to my gym – we’ll fight here. We’ll fight in Las Vegas. I’m not afraid of that guy. I just don’t want to take an 18-hour flight. Even in Brazil – I don’t want to fight in Brazil. It’s too far. I don’t want to take a 15- or 16-hour flight to leave my family for that long. I want to fight in the U.S. That’s what I said.”

On staying ready for his next fight: “I will stay ready. I’m training. I’m trying to get better and get back in shape. I don’t care who, but I just don’t want to leave my family. I think my family is first. I can’t leave a young kid with my wife alone here.”