Rafael dos Anjos confident UFC will keep title shot promise if he beats 'downhill' Robbie Lawler

WINNIPEG – Rafael dos Anjos is confident UFC President Dana White will make good on his word that the winner of Saturday’s UFC on FOX 26 headliner with Robbie Lawler will get the next shot at UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley.

White stated shortly after the matchup between dos Anjos (27-9 MMA, 16-7 UFC) and Lawler (28-11 MMA, 13-5 UFC) was booked that the winner would be fighting Woodley (18-3-1 MMA, 8-2-1 UFC) for UFC gold next. The champion recently revealed his intention to undergo shoulder surgery, though, raising some uncertainty about his situation.

Regardless of the timeline for Woodley’s recovery, dos Anjos said he expects to get his hand raised with a victory over Lawler.

“I believe in what he said first, what Dana said first,” dos Anjos told MMAjunkie at today’s UFC on FOX 26 media day. “Of course, I have that picture on my mind, fighting for the belt, getting the belt. I’m still competing, because I’m thinking about the belt. I’m thinking about being a champion. By the time I don’t believe I can make it anymore, I will stop. I will retire. As of now I believe I can do it. I believe in Dana, and Dana’s first answer.”

UFC on FOX 26 takes place at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Dos Anjos vs. Lawler headlines the FOX-televised main card following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

The matchup marks dos Anjos’ third fight since he moved up to the welterweight division in June. He’s 2-0 so far with wins over Neil Magny and Tarec Saffiedine, and the former UFC lightweight champion admits he’s feeling right at home in his new division.

“He’s a taller guy. He’s going to be the bigger guy on the night of the fight,” dos Anjos said. “I feel that all these guys, they could be better than me, but on fight night I’m better than them. … If you step on the scale and make 170 pounds, we’re going to go there and fight fair and square.”

Lawler enters the fight having absorbed 781 significant strikes in the past five years of UFC competition, which is the most of any fighter on the roster. Dos Anjos believes the former UFC welterweight titleholder is somewhat shopworn from his years of grueling fights, and he intends on taking advantage.

“I know he has a couple more miles than me on his body,” dos Anjos said. “I just moved up. I’m just fresh. I’m new in this division. I’m not running down, run out. I feel I’m in my moment right now. The way that I feel, I feel I’m going uphill, and Robbie is going downhill.”

Dos Anjos expects Lawler to come out aggressively early in their five-round fight. He said that aggression is going to be costly, because he can take advantage of openings and create an opportunity to finish the fight. If he can do that, dos Anjos feels a second UFC belt will be within his reach.

“He’s the kind of guy that doesn’t come to do an extra hour in the octagon. He just comes to finish,” dos Anjos said. “My goal is to fight for the title. My goal is to be a two-division champion. All the goals I set in my life I have accomplished. I’m sure I will accomplish that one too.”

For more on UFC on FOX 26, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.