After dropping weight classes, UFC-Gdansk winner Josh Emmett ready for all comers at 145

GDANSK, Poland – Team Alpha Male’s Josh Emmett made his UFC featherweight debut with a dominant victory over Felipe Arantes, then declared himself ready to take on anyone in the division.

Emmett (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) explained that fighting at 145 pounds was always his plan, but his early success at 155 persuaded him to keep going in the lightweight division.

“My goal when I got to the UFC was to fight in the featherweight division, but since I got in it (at) 55s, and it was working well for me, I just decided to stay there,” Emmett said. “I guess (I was) kinda complacent. Strength was never an issue in that division, but I was if you look at the stats. I think it’s myself and Nick Hein (who) are the smallest lightweights in the division.”

Emmett’s career in the UFC was going well enough as he extended his undefeated record to 11-0 with wins over Jon Tuck and Scott Holtzman. But a split-decision loss to Desmond Green in April convinced him to make the move down to his optimal weight class.

“After that last loss – I still think I won that last fight – I made the decision to drop down to featherweight, where I’ll be more of an average-to-bigger featherweight, and I think I’ll do really well, Emmett said. “I think I stack up well against anyone in the division, and I’m just excited to be in this featherweight division now.”

Emmett didn’t negotiate his first UFC fight week as a featherweight athlete alone. His longtime coach, Danny Castillo, was on hand to monitor his weight cut, and his Team Alpha Male teammate and fellow featherweight Andre Fili also was on the card.

Despite telling MMAjunkie he was ready to hit the scale early at Friday’s weigh-ins, Fili waited until Emmett was ready, with the pair weighing in one after the other, as the two teammates made sure they both hit their required weight.

“Andre and I have been training partners for such a long time,” Emmett said. “The funny thing is my pro debut was at 145, and we fought on the same card. So it’s just awesome now I’m making my featherweight debut again in the UFC, and Andre and I are right on the same card.

“He’s a great guy, one of my main training partners, and we’re going to get big wins tonight and go have some fun and check out Poland.”

Emmett looked outstanding in the opening rounds, repeatedly dropping Arantes with big right hands before realizing he’d have to pace himself to ensure he lasted the distance.

“He was tough, and I know he’s really dangerous off his back, so I didn’t want to play into his game and go in there and take a chance of getting caught in something,” Emmett said. “I train with the best team in the world – my jiu-jitsu coach, Felipe Bragio, and Chris Holdsworth and Fabio and all of us. I knew I’d be safe, but I did have to just tone it down and wait to pick my shots.”

Despite a huge first round, Emmett eventually had to contend himself with a landslide unanimous decision victory, and now the 32-year-old from Sacramento plans on making a dent in the UFC’s 145-pound rankings.

“I think I stack up well against anyone, so I’m up for anything,” Emmett said. “(Sean) Shelby – and when it was Joe Silva at the time – they asked me so many times about fighting anyone.

“I’ve never said no to a fight, but a lot of people said no to me. Even (for) this fight – I’m not gonna mention any names – but this was the fifth opponent. They (tried to) give me someone in the top 15. No one wanted it.

“I’m up for anybody. I’ve never said no to a fight, and I’m not going to start any time soon.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 118, check out the UFC Events section of the site.