Banha against Sokoudjou. Photo: Josh Hedges
Up until his fight with Rogério Minotouro at UFC 106, Luis “Banha” Cane had only ever lost by disqualification. At a new team, after exiting American Top Team, Banha could return to his winning ways this Saturday when he faces Cyrille Diabete at UFC 114 in Las Vegas.
“My life is going good. The new training center (Elite Mixed Fighters) is great and I haven’t had any problems training with guys who used to be my training partners like Marcus Aurélio, André Benkei, Mohamed Duali and Chris Bohn. I feel I’m now better in every aspect,” the fighter told the UFC website.
“I feel this is a great fight for my return. Diabete is considered one of the best strikers in the world and, with my training, I’m sure we’ll have a great fight. I’m working with Antonio “Pezão” Silva and Guto Inocente, who are really tall and replicate the openings and dangers my opponent having greater reach could create for me,” he adds.
On what was practically the first setback in his career, Banha is realistic.
“I’m not here to justify it or make excuses for my loss. I get irritated when I see that kind of stuff. The guy came and beat me, and I’m not going to explain the reasons I lost by saying if I’d done this or that, if I’d trained more standing or on the ground, it would have gone differently. That’s not the kind of guy I am and it wouldn’t be fair. I lost and that’s it,” he says.
“After losing to Minotouro I felt a mixture of disappointment and unhappiness. I don’t know how to describe what I felt, but it was horrible,” he says in finishing.
Check out the card:
UFC 114
Las Vegas, Nevada
Saturday May 29, 2010
Quinton Jackson vs Rashad Evans
Michael Bisping vs Dan Miller
Todd Duffee vs Mike Russow
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs Jason Brilz
Diego Sanchez vs John Hathaway
Amir Sadollah vs Dong Hyun Kim
Preliminary card
Efrain Escudero vs Dan Lauzon
Melvin Guillard vs Waylon Lowe
Luis Cane vs Cyrille Diabate
Aaron Riley vs Joe Brammer
Jesse Forbes vs Ryan Jensen