Rafael dos Anjos plans to beat Tony Ferguson, then watch UFC 205's main event 'front row'

MEXICO CITY – Rafael dos Anjos’ departure from Kings MMA was generally received with some surprise.

After all, his rise to the UFC lightweight throne was often linked to the team and its leader Rafael Cordeiro. But while he does acknowledge Cordeiro’s role in his evolution, the former champ says that, having kept most of his regular training partners, the new scenario is just not that big of a deal.

“That was really simple, I didn’t feel it much because the guys I’ve got have been with me for a long time,” dos Anjos told MMAjunkie. “I evolved a lot training with Rafael Cordeiro, but I’d usually go to Kings MMA three times a week, and on the other days of the week I’d go to a different place.

“A lot of people have a lot of credit on my evolution. That wasn’t an issue with me – I’m still training with the same guys I was training before. I have good friends, people who help with training. Now I’m looking forward to opening my own gym, and having my team behind me.”

Future plans aside, dos Anjos (25-8 MMA, 14-6 UFC) has an immediate concern this Saturday, when he takes on Tony Ferguson (21-3 MMA, 11-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 98’s headliner in Mexico City. The FS1-televised fight card follows early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

It’s a high stakes affair that, dos Anjos knows, could have title implications for either player. And that’s why he took no chances when it came to his preparation – following up a three-week stay at California’s high-altitude Mammoth Lakes with a 10-day acclimation in Mexico City.

Dos Anjos, of course, can’t be sure beating his Saturday opponent would allow him another stab at the 155-pound belt. But, upon realizing that he wouldn’t be granted a rematch after losing the title to Eddie Alvarez, he figured Ferguson – and his winning streak – would be his best bet.

“I was speaking to my manager after the fight, I said I want to fight for the title,” dos Anjos said. “If they’re not going to give me a rematch, who do I need to beat to get my title back, to get my title shot? I think Ferguson will be the guy, he’s coming from eight wins straight, so let’s do it Saturday.

“He comes forward, with the funky style, throwing weird combinations, but I had good guys with me. We did a perfect game plan, and I will handle this.”

Which is not to say that the No. 3 fighter in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings didn’t think that an immediate rematch would have been justified.

“The way that I was beating my opponents and who I beat – I beat (then-champion) Ben Henderson, I beat Nate Diaz, I beat (former lightweight champion Anthony) Pettis, I beat (Donald) ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone,” dos Anjos said. “And the way the fight (with Alvarez) was, I think I deserved the title shot. I didn’t get dominated – I got caught.

“But it’s passed already. I turned this page. I’m focused on Ferguson now, and I’m going to build my way back to this title. I believe in God’s plan – I have a lot of faith that things are going to get better.

“I’m still young – I just turned 32 last week. I feel I still have energy. I feel that I’m going to prove once again that I’m the best lightweight in the world.”

Dos Anjos didn’t make excuses then, and he still doesn’t make them now. Though he did have a shorter camp – returning from the injury that kept him out of a title defense against 145-pound champ Conor McGregor – and a tough weight cut, he simply “had a bad day at work.”

In spite of that – or maybe because of it – the title loss was not a particularly easy one to shake off. And, after a challenging year, the former champ felt he finally needed to take some time to re-focus.

“For the first time in my whole career, after the fight I stayed almost two months without going to the gym,“ dos Anjos said. “I trained a lot with the gi, things that I like – I ran, I did physical preparation, a lot of hiking, I traveled with my family. These 45 days after the fight for me were really good because I got to enjoy my family.

“I had a tough year. I fought in December against Cerrone, then I was scheduled to fight in March against McGregor, then I broke my foot and then I lost my title. I love what I do, but sometimes you don’t want to go to the gym, sometimes you go because you have to go. And (that’s) the way that I was training after the fight, I just want to go if I feel like I want to go, I want to feel pleasure.”

Dos Anjos knows he can “prove once again that I’m the best lightweight in the world.” But that has some current variables. Even if he does beat Ferguson and gets a title shot, who that will be against remains uncertain –with Alvarez putting the 155-pound belt on the line against McGregor at the following week’s UFC 205.

As far as New York City’s headliner, dos Anjos does see a favorite to get his hand raised. But, whatever happens, he maintains neither style nor money interfere with his choice of possible opposition.

“I think McGregor will win this fight,” dos Anjos said. “I feel that, because of the style, maybe I think Alvarez – of course he’s a good stand-up fighter too, but McGregor being a southpaw, I see a little advantage for McGregor on this fight.

“The only thing I pick (as a preferred opponent) is who has the title. I’m looking for the belt. A lot of people are, ‘You want to fight McGregor?’, I want to fight who has the belt, against the champion. That’s my goal. My goal is not fighting McGregor, my goal is fighting for the belt.”

And dos Anjos has already made the arrangements to make sure he’s there to witness – maybe very closely – how it plays out.

“Yeah, I’ll be (in New York City),” dos Anjos said. “Regardless. Of course with the win, I’ll be there in the front row watching the fight.”

For more on the former champ’s thoughts on Ferguson, the title loss and aspirations, check out the video above.

And for more on UFC Fight Night 98, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.