Raphael Assuncao hopes Sean Shelby isn't 'too upset' with Sterling win, wants ex-champ Cruz next

DENVER – After narrowly edging fellow bantamweight standout Aljamain Sterling, Raphael Assuncao is back on the winning track.

But that doesn’t mean he’s exactly over-the-moon with his UFC on FOX 23 performance. Following the event and his split-decision call over Sterling (12-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC), a very honest Assuncao (24-5 MMA, 8-2 UFC) felt “pretty good” with the win, but he sees work to be done.

“I was confident about (the) first and second rounds,” Assuncao said. “And (the) third round was a little bit – I can say I wish I had a little more steam and bit down on my mouthpiece and put my combos together. Yeah, I was kind of limited, unfortunately. That’s the truth.

“I was kind of receptive on the – I wanted to take him down at a point. I was like, ‘OK, maybe it’s not quite there.’ So I just wanted to maintain the striking game, especially after I stuffed four or five of his shots. So I kind of played that game a little bit.

“I’m very critical of my performances, just because for me to get back to contention, I’ve got to put those performances together. But, you know, I feel that me having to build up on will help me, will keep me humble, and will keep me progressing, getting better.”

The bantamweight bout was part of the preliminary card of Saturday’s UFC on FOX 23 event at Pepsi Center in Denver. It aired on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass and ahead of a main card on FOX.

Assuncao makes no excuses for his display, but he said he thinks “a little extra time” in Denver’s altitude would probably have been beneficial. As for the future, he said the key lies in octagon consistency – something that seems to have become extra clear after a loss to ex-champ T.J. Dillashaw that snapped a seven-fight winning streak.

“I think I have been losing momentum for a while now as far as putting the fights together, putting the rounds together,” Assuncao said. “My last fight, at UFC 200, I don’t even remember that fight. It’s like, ‘OK, what did I do at UFC 200 I can improve upon?’ And that fight was like, I don’t even remember. It’s been so long, that here it kind of changed up. My daughter was born. Everything changed so dramatically that I don’t even remember that fight.

“And on top of that, the guy that I fought, T.J. Dillashaw, I think he was coming off 20 rounds altogether. And here I am, after a two-year layoff fighting the guy. Anyway, I’m just ready to get back to the top.”

Ranked No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA bantamweight rankings, Assuncao knows he needs to face top competition in order to do that. That’s why he’s got his sights set on none other than former 135-pound champ, No. 2 ranked Dominick Cruz (22-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC), who’s fresh off his title-costing loss to current titleholder Cody Garbrandt.

“I think Dominick Cruz makes sense right now,” Assuncao said. “See how that plays out. I’m the No. 4 guy (in the UFC rankings) – considering, no disrespect to any of the rankings out there, any of the fighters, but I consider myself the No. 3, still. … So, whatever makes sense, right?”

Having yet to speak to UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby about his desire, however, Assuncao can only hope he did enough on Saturday to earn it.

“I haven’t talked to the boss yet,” Assuncao said. “Hopefully he’s not too upset about my performance.”

For more from Assuncao on his win and title aspirations, check out the video above.

And for complete coverage of UFC on FOX 23, check out the UFC Events section of the site.