D. Reyes in victory for the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @domreyes24
the american Dominick reyes is close to having the most important fight of his career. This Friday (18), the athlete will step up to the Octagon to face the former middleweight champion (up to 83,9kg), Chris Weidman, who makes his debut among light heavyweights (up to 93kg.) in the main attraction of ufc boston (USA). The American declared respect for his opponent's legacy and stated that a victory over his compatriot could put him in the forefront to face the champion Jon Jones. The statement was made in an interview with 'MMA Fighting'.
See too
“I wish I had a chance like that one year, like he (Chris) had when he defeated Anderson Silva. It came out of nowhere, really. And I see a lot of myself in him. The way he behaved, the way he did things”, said the athlete.
Even though he shows empathy for his opponent, Dominick believes that Chris' time in the sport has passed a little. For the North American, this Friday's rival is far from performing as he did a few years ago.
“He had a hard time, man. I just think he's getting a little older. He trusts his athleticism a lot. He is a great fighter, but his athleticism helped him a lot. He had a good chin early in his career. Now, he is older. He is 35 years old and has lost his shape. Things that used to work aren’t working, and it’s not going well for him,” Reyes said.
Regarding Dominick's statement, it is impossible not to find a point of reason in the athlete's speech. Weidman, who became middleweight champion in 2013 after beating the legendary Anderson Silva, faces a difficult recent retrospect for his career. The athlete suffered four defeats in his last five appearances; the last one, for the Brazilian Ronaldo Jacare, in November last year, when he dominated the fight, but ended up surprised by a knockout in the last round.
Older or not, Chris and Reyes will step into the Octagon with the same goal. Athletes seek a fight against Jon Jones, which reigns supreme in the division. For Dominick, currently in fourth place in the category, the victory represents a free pass to a fight against 'Bones'.
“I want to win this emphatically. This is a performance-based industry. If I go there and put on a great performance against a guy like Chris, this title fight is inevitable”, concluded the fighter.
Reyes, 29 years old, is considered one of the sport's promises. In 11 professional appearances, the fighter was never defeated.
Comments