Marquardt faces Belfort this Saturday (03). (Photo: Facebook)
Last opponent of Vitor belfort In the UFC, middleweight Nate Marquardt doesn't hide his satisfaction with the duel. With a respectful speech, the North American says he is excited to face the 'Phenomenon', whom he considers himself a fan, at UFC 212, this Saturday, in Rio de Janeiro.
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“I'm very excited to be here in Rio, to face Vitor in Brazil. So far, I've only been able to go out for dinner, but I'm happy to be here. I was certainly happy that it was Vitor's last fight in the UFC. I'm definitely a fan of Vitor belfort. He's a great fighter, I've followed his career for many years. He's an incredible guy, I have a lot of respect for him. I feel honored to be in this fight”, declared Marquardt, in an interview with the website 'Combate.com'.
Playing for Brazil for the second time – he faced Thiago Marreta at UFC 198, in Curitiba, Marquardt ensures that he is not intimidated by the boos from the fans. According to him, the extra octagon provocations don't hinder him during the fight.
“I'm not worried about the crowd's screams, I don't understand Portuguese (laughs). Just kidding... It doesn't bother me, I don't see any reason to worry. When you get into the fight and focus on techniques, it doesn't matter. The pressure from the crowd doesn't bother me, because when I enter the Octagon, I'm completely focused on my opponent. Everything around disappears. I've watched Vitor for many years, I know what type of fighter he is, he's a great fighter, very explosive. He looks for submissions, that won't change because of where he's fighting or the circumstances of the fight”, said the American, who concluded by stating that Belfort is capable of continuing to fight at a high level.
“I’m not in a position to say what he should or shouldn’t do with his career. He had a fairly long and successful career. As I said, he performed well even in defeats. There is no reason for me to say, “He should retire.” He has been fighting well against significant fighters in the world. If he wants to keep fighting, I would say that’s what he should do,” he concluded.
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