G. Durinho (photo) comes from a knockout over Saggo (Photo: Reproduction Twitter gilbertdurinho)
In the midst of a time of provocations and insults among fighters, Gilbert Durinho escapes the rule. Outside of the UFC's lightweight ranking, the Rio native avoids challenging the main fighters in his division. This does not mean, however, that the athlete does not use social media to promote himself. With his feet on the ground, the jiu-jitsu world champion always tries to ask for opponents who are on the same level as his.
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“These are fights that I think can happen, not only for Durinho, but for the fans, for the UFC… I understand that side. This one year that I was out of competition really opened my mind to the business side. I can't just think as a fighter, I also have to think as a promoter. 'Does this fight make sense? If I ask today, for example, the Edson Barboza or Khabib (Nurmagomedov), are they going to give it to me or am I going to ask for it just to say it?' Since I'm going to challenge someone, it has to be someone real, I'm not going to challenge Khabib now, because I know it's a very difficult fight to be married. We have to be more realistic. Of course, nowadays we have to talk a little more, sell the fight, but it has to be realistic”, declared Gilbert in an exclusive interview with SUPER FIGHTS.
With a 50% success rate in the last four times he entered the octagon, the last of which was last September, when he knocked out Jason Saggo, Durinho guarantees that his focus, at the moment, is not to face the lightweight elite, but rather to accumulate a good streak of positive results.
“The important thing now is to come from victories, to achieve several consecutive victories, regardless of the name. O Tony Ferguson, if I'm not mistaken, he's had 10 wins in a row, but there are four guys (on the list) who have already been sent away, they're not even in the company anymore, but (the number) is there, it's 10 wins in a row. So the most important thing today is not even me asking for a big name guy, but me having good performances, winning fights, that's what will put me there. The objective is to fight in January, February at the latest, and accumulate another victory. Then I'll go back to my base, continue evolving in jiu-jitsu, boxing, wrestling, take another fight... that's the plan. If I get five or six wins, there's no way I won't be among the top guys in the category,” said Durinho, who explained why he challenged the Scotsman Steven Ray and the Canadian Olivier Aubin-Mercier.
“They are two guys who are at the same level as me in the category. If I were to (ask for) what I wanted, I would want a Tony Ferguson, I wanted to be up there, but I understand that you need to climb the category, so I picked some guys who, in my opinion, are closer to me in the rankings, so I'll move up. There’s no point in asking Sean Shelby (UFC matchmaker) for a top 5 because he won’t give it to me, so it’s a fight that makes sense for the fans and the company”, he concluded.
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