UFC 173’s Francisco Rivera believes he has X-factor that warrants title shot

In the UFC’s constantly evolving weight classes, a breakthrough performance or memorable victory can jump a title hopeful from the middle of the pack to the top of a division.

In the case of UFC bantamweight Francisco Rivera (10-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC), he views Saturday’s UFC 173 matchup with Takeya Mizugaki (19-7-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) as his chance to make some real noise at 135 pounds.

“It just takes one big fight, one big knockout for people to see that I’m a title contender,” Rivera told MMAjunkie Radio. “Hopefully this is the fight, on a pay-per-view main card, that I can put on a show. It’ll be good to be able to showcase my skills.”

Mizugaki is a well-respected veteran who brings a four-fight winning streak into the octagon when he meets Rivera inside Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. The fight takes place on the PPV main card following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

The Japanese fighter has competed against Urijah Faber, Miguel Torres, Brian Bowles and plenty of other quality fighters during his UFC/WEC tenure. That experience is likely why Mizugaki is currently the favorite among the betting public. However, the 32-year-old Rivera is confident he can get the job done due to one major X-factor: his punching power.

“Most guys don’t want to get hit by me,” Rivera said. “They try to make me swing and miss, and then shoot in on me and try to take me down. I’ve worked a lot on that because Mizugaki is probably going to try to take me down.”

Knockouts in the bantamweight division are far more infrequent than in heavier weight classes, but Rivera is one of the few fighters capable of finishing a bout with a single strike. That’s his plan for Mizugaki.

“If he takes some of my shots, he’s definitely going to pay and be knocked out for the second time in his career,” he said. “I don’t think he’s going to stand there and box and bang with me. If he does, he’s really not going to like what happens.”

Rivera has put his punching power on display during his current four-fight unbeaten streak by earning his past two UFC victories by knockout. He hopes extending that run with another highlight-reel finish will get the MMA community to rally behind him for a title shot.

“There’s no other way to say or do it – especially if I’m finishing fights,” Rivera said. “Not many bantamweights are finishing fights.”

Rivera has the chance to prove his worth on a night when reigning bantamweight champion Renan Barao puts his belt on the line against T.J. Dillashaw.

Turning in a strong performance on the same night as the champion could be a major advantage for Rivera, and though he’s trying not to focus on the belt, he’s fully aware of the magnitude of scoring a victory at UFC 173.

“It’s one of the biggest fights of my life,” Rivera said. “I’m going to go out there and do what I do, which is fight – not paying attention to the title shot or anything. (I need to) just go out there and fight how I’ve been fighting, have fun, be confident and just put on a show. It’s going to be a sick fight.”

For the latest on UFC 173, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.