“What I think [is] TJ [Dillashaw] should have stayed at his weight and should have done what he was supposed to do at 135 [pounds],” Raphael Assuncao told the media on Wednesday in Brazil. “He went down to 125 [pounds] and now… I’m sure he repent, you know, of what happened.
“He should have stayed at his weight class and take responsibility at his weight class. That’s what I think. I think he should have… Just like when I should have fought for the title before, and then Cody [Garbrandt] took my place and it didn’t go well twice for him.
“In the back of my mind I don’t want to be a hater but then I was like, ‘Yeah, see, that’s what you get. It should have been my turn,'” Assuncao continued. “Same with TJ, that’s what you get. You should have been defending your own title.”
At UFC Fortaleza this Saturday night, top UFC bantamweight contender Raphael Assuncao takes on Marlon Moraes in a rematch of their 2017 encounter. The winner will very likely be looking at the next bantamweight title shot against champion TJ Dillashaw.
For Assuncao, the argument could be made that he should have already gotten his first career title shot sooner as he’s 11-1 at 135-pounds with that lone loss coming to Dillashaw who he also holds a win over.
Instead, for Dillashaw’s most recent outing he decided to try his luck at 125-pounds where he challenged the flyweight champion Henry Cejudo for his title at UFC Brooklyn. Unfortunately for Dillashaw, Cejudo would spoil his divisional debut in just 32 seconds.
Now having had Dillashaw lose, it could present a longer waiting period if Cejudo is to rematch Dillashaw for the bantamweight title. If that will happen or not remains to be determined.
For the time being, all either Assuncao or Moraes can do is further make their case starting with UFC Fortaleza.
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 1/30/2019
Jose Aldo was originally supposed to fight Dominick Cruz at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 4.
It was announced that Aldo will be returning to the Octagon and fighting at UFC 301 and will be taking on Jonathan Martinez. Although Martinez is a tough test for the former champ, Aldo revealed to Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter, that the original plan was for him to fight Cruz but the former champ had an injury in camp.
UFC president Dana White has granted welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley’s wish to compete in his hometown next month.
White announced on Wednesday that Buckley will face 6’5″ welterweight Nursulton Ruziboev in the UFC St. Louis co-main event on May 11th. At the UFC 300 pre-fight press conference, Buckley hijacked the microphone to implore White to give him a main event slot in St. Louis.
UFC welterweight prospect Mike Malott will look to avenge his first career loss against a former The Ultimate Fighter finalist.
According to reports, Malott will face TUF 29 standout Gilbert Urbina on July 13th at a to-be-announced location and venue. News of the Malott vs. Urbina fight was first reported by Sportsnet.
Anthony Smith is hopeful to secure a future fight with Alex Pereira.
Smith and Pereira have taken shots at each other in the past, and now that the Brazilian is the light heavyweight champion, ‘Lionheart’ is hopeful he can face him down the line. Smith believes it would be a fan-friendly fight as he says he would step in the fire with the Brazilian.
UFC light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has sent a message of support to Charles Oliveira.
It was a very different night for the two Brazilians at UFC 300 earlier this month. Both men fought on the main card of the historic event, with Alex Pereira headlining it. ‘Poatan’ faced former champion Jamahal Hill in the main event, while Charles Oliveira met Arman Tsarukyan on the main card in a title eliminator.
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is now back in training for his return to the cage.
‘Bones’ has been out of action since a first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 last year. That win snapped a three-year hiatus for the former light-heavyweight and also saw him earn heavyweight gold. Jon Jones famously won the title that Francis Ngannou left vacant upon his exit from the company last year.
Arman Tsarukyan isn’t happy with UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
The Armenian fighter is fresh off his return at UFC 300 against Charles Oliveira. There, the two lightweights competed in a title eliminator of sorts, and put on a show. After three rounds of action, it was Arman Tsarukyan who emerged with a split-decision victory over ‘Do Bronx’. In the process, he earned a shot at Islam Makhachev.
Jamahal Hill has opened as the betting favorite ahead of his UFC 303 fight against Khalil Rountree.
Hill is making a quick turnaround after losing to Alex Pereira by first-round knockout at UFC 300 for the light heavyweight title. Despite being knocked out, Hill will return on June 29 against Rountree, which the UFC announced would be the co-main event of UFC 303. Of course, the main event sees Conor McGregor taking on Michael Chandler.
