Sergio Moraes Says His Plan Is To Earn Welterweight Title Fight

In an interview with MMA Junkie, Sergio Moraes (10-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) said that his plan in the UFC is to eventually get a welterweight title shot. He will fight Luan Chagas (14-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) on the UFC 198 preliminary card on UFC fight Pass. It airs from the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil.

On his UFC plan: “To be on a four-fight winning streak is great. It shows that our work is paying off. It’s also a boost of confidence. I’m gunning for the very sought-after welterweight belt. I know there are other people ahead of me, but I will get there. It’s unavoidable. To earn the right to fight for the title is my only plan. It’s the only thing I’m focused on. After this last victory, I thought I already deserved to be ranked. I don’t quite get the rankings. There are some people whom I’ve beat who are in the top 10. I want to have my opportunity. After one more win, I do want to face a top-10 fighter. I want people to recognize my work. My past is full championships, and now that I’m in the UFC, I’m here to stay.”

On Chagas making his UFC debut: “Nothing changes. I’m not worried. I just have to keep up my training rhythm and drop in weight. I think these things happen where a fighter gets hurt and has to be replaced. It’s happened to me before. I’m just concerned about being the best me. If I’m at my best, I consider myself the UFC champion. At my best, I can beat anyone. I did watch a few of Luan’s fights. He seems to be good on the ground and on the feet. We’ll have to see which poison he’ll want to pick. We have many great fighters in our weight class, but few want to hit the ground with me. I’m ready for anything. Unfortunately, I’ll be facing a Brazilian, but we’re both employed by the same company. So off we go. I’ll remain focused on being victorious.”