Antonio Carlos Junior plans to use jiu-jitsu against Tim Boetsch, and can you blame him?

UFC middleweight Antonio Carlos Junior has won four straight fights in a division where stability has yet to take hold at the top.

Today, Junior (9-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) faces off with Tim Boetsch (21-11 MMA, 12-10 UFC), one of the heaviest hitters in the octagon at 185 pounds. He doesn’t plan on exposing his chin for long.

“Without a doubt, it will be very difficult,” Junior told MMAjunkie in advance of their meeting on the FOX-televised preliminary card of the event at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. “I expect to impose my game throughout the entire fight. I feel I can put my jiu-jitsu to work, which is where I feel most confident.”

The fighter helping Junior prepare for Boetsch, Junior Dos Santos, has a pretty good right hand of his own. Between dodging that and takedowns from the ex-heavyweight champ, Junior thinks he’s got a good handle on what it’s going to take to win.

“It’s another challenge to be conquered,” he said. “I’ve been taking on one challenge after another, and thankfully I’ve been able to win the last four. I expect yet another win.”

Junior points out that only the current UFC middleweight champ, Robert Whittaker, holds a longer wining streak. And while he’s far from the eight-bout surge that’s led the Aussie to the title, Junior believes he’s done enough to start chipping away at ranked opposition.

“My next opponent should be someone who’s ranked, since my goal is to reach the belt,” he said. “I know I’ll be the champion in my weight class. I love fighting and I’ll be ready for all new challenges. I’m always ready to face anyone, though my preference would be someone in the top-10 or even top-five. I know I’m ready for this, and I know I deserve it.”

After some ups and downs in his early UFC career, Junior has found a winning formula for moving forward. In this case, it’s not complicating matters by trying to fight out of his comfort zone.

“I’m very happy with this phase I’m living,” he said. “I expect to go on to a fifth victory. Very soon I’m be reaching the top and fighting for the belt.”

For more on UFC on FOX 29, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.