RDA hoping for another title shot with win over Usman at TUF 28 Finale
Rafael dos Anjos believes a win over Kamaru Usman would cement him as the next No. 1 contender.
Rafael dos Anjos is coming off a championship loss to interim champion Colby Covington, but the Brazilian is confident he’ll be fighting for the title again in no time.
Dos Anjos, the former UFC lightweight champ, is gearing up to face top-five welterweight contender Kamaru Usman this Friday at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale, and the Brazilian believes a win will re-establish him as the official No. 1 contender.
Speaking to MMA Junkie ahead of his pivotal matchup with Usman (13-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC), dos Anjos said a win over ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ will catapult him into title contention.
“Looking at the rankings, it’s kind of messed up a little bit,” dos Anjos said. “We just had the (Darren) Till loss (to champion Tyron Woodley), and now he’s not fighting at welterweight anymore. I fought (former champion) Robbie (Lawler) already. The only guy I saw that could put me back in the title picture would be Kamaru Usman.”
“I think so,” dos Anjos said when asked if a win over Usman should put him back into title contention. “I’m focused 100 percent on Friday now, but I think it would be a huge step back toward the title. I don’t see any other names in there. We’ll see. I’m excited for Friday and I can’t wait to get it done. I’m ready for all situations.”
Prior to his loss to Covington, dos Anjos won three straight fights against Tarec Saffiedine, Neil Magny and Robbie Lawler. The UFC veteran moved up to the welterweight division shortly after losing his lightweight title in 2016.
Usman, 31, is on an impressive twelve-fight win streak and won The Ultimate Fighter 21 welterweight tournament back in 2015. His most notable win comes against Brazilian Jiu Jitsu standout Demian Maia, who he beat via unanimous decision in the UFC Fight Night 129 main event.
The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale takes place this Friday, Nov. 30 at Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.