Rafael dos Anjos has had a hard time securing bouts against the UFC’s top lightweight contenders, but hopes that will change if he beats Rafael Fiziev convincingly at UFC Vegas 58.
Dos Anjos, who is scheduled to face Fiziev in the UFC Vegas 58 main event, is 2-0 since making his return to lightweight. He was scheduled to face Islam Makhachev on three different occasions, but the fight was cancelled all three times due to one reason or another. He has also tried to fight the likes of Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje, but he claims that they both turned him down.
With a third consecutive victory at UFC Vegas 58, dos Anjos hopes that the top-five contenders, including compatriot Charles Oliveira, will take him seriously.
Rafael dos Anjos On Being Turned Down
Speaking to TMZ Sports, dos Anjos claimed that everybody in the lightweight top-five has turned him down, but he understands why they wouldn’t fight him.
“We tried everybody, we tried Chandler, we tried Gaethje, we tried everybody and it seems to not work,” dos Anjos said. “We threw all the names out there, trying to get a better fight with a better-ranked opponent, but beside Beneil Dariush, who is my friend and I didn’t try to fight him, [nobody else from the top five accepted]… seems like nobody wants to take a step back.
“When I beat Fiziev, it will be three in a row. I want to beat him convincingly, I want to finish him, and I want people to talk about me putting myself in the title picture. That’s my goal and I’m looking forward to going there and finishing him in the first round. I’m going to put on a great performance and call my shot.”
Do you think Rafael dos Anjos will beat Rafael Fiziev in the UFC Vegas 58 main event?
