Rogério Minotouro and Phil Davis will face off this Saturday in Seattle, where UFC 24 will take place. Coming off a win that the crowd didn’t take kindly to followed by a loss, Rogério Minotouro would have had a do-or-die fight with Tito Ortiz on his hands. With his opponent pulling out injured, though, in came a replacement.
“The fight with Ortiz was something I’ve wanted for a long time. He’s the one I’ve wanted to face ever since I joined the UFC. I waited a long time until we could set it up in the octagon. I was a bit disappointed when he had to pull out, but my main objective here is to face the best and be among the best, so I’ll test myself in this competition against Davis,” he stated on the UFC website.
On his recent fights, Minotouro thinks he has learned some lessons.
“We learn from defeat. Takedowns are an important part of the game and I realized that on two different occasions in the UFC. Jason Brilz took me down and worked from inside my guard, Ryan Bader didn’t, but he managed efficient takedowns. My objective here is to dictate the pace standing, causing damage, and if the fight goes to the ground, I need to get on top. So my true objective is to knock him out and not let it go to a decision,” he forewarns.
A veteran, Rogério is wary of Davis’s chief skill.
“The guy is young and good. He’s a college wrestling champion and four-time All American. He has an interesting background (8-0) and a reach advantage, so he’s one to be careful with, because his desire makes him dangerous. But on the other hand, he doesn’t have much MMA experience.”
Undefeated in MMA, Phil Davis hopes to notch another win, maybe even get a shot at the belt, now held by Jon Jones.
“I studied his fights and I feel there are definitely some areas I can capitalize on. I hope his wrestling is one of those areas where he hasn’t improved.”