Santiago Ponzinibbio kommer till matchen mot Mike Perry med fem raka segrar i ryggen. Senast slog han ut Gunnar Nelson i andra ronden under UFC Fight Night 113. ”Gente Boa” säger till MMA Fighting att han aldrig varit bättre och att ”Platinum” Mike Perry kommer att gå samma öde till möte som Nelson. Perry och Nelson är två helt olika sorters fighters, men det är inget som Ponzinibbio ser som något problem:
It’s good because I train for different styles, you know, but the truth is that I don’t focus on my opponent when I’m training for a fight, I adjust a thing or two, but my focus is not on the guy. I focus on what I know I can do. I’m a complete fighter and I’m not worried about what he’s going to do. I’ve fought a lot of strikers before, Nordine Taleb was a world champion in kickboxing and went there to knock me out. Several fighters have tried to trade with me, so I don’t worry about his style.
När han blir frågad vilka justeringar det är han har gjort inför matchen mot Perry visar det sig att han i princip inte gjort några alls:
I know I can knock this guy out and I believe I’m better than him in all areas, If I have to work in other areas, I’m comfortable. I believe my wrestling is better, my grappling is better. He’s a striker and has several knockouts, but I know my striking is better. I’m not worried about that.
Hajpen kring Mike Perry gör att Ponzinibbio ser matchen som den största i sin karriär.
He has media, He has knockout wins, he has this style to promote himself. People talk a lot these days. He has a lot of media here in the United States, MMA websites talk about him all the time, so this is an important fight for me to gain followers and fans, people that can see my work. I think this is cool. Talking sh*t is the new thing, to do a circus to promote yourself, Brother, what can I say? I don’t like that. I just fight. I think he’s an athlete with knockout power, but I don’t think he’s a technical athlete. He’s not on my level. He has heavy hands, but he’s not on my level.
Strax efter att matchen mot Mike Perry hade blivit officiell, höjdes röster för att den skulle avbokas och ersättas av en match mellan Darren Till och Perry. Det är dock inget som Ponzinibbio bryr sig om.
I didn’t pay attention to that, who wouldn’t mind watching Perry-Till in the future. If he wants to fight Darren Till after he fights me, he can do that, but he will get beat up by me first. I’m better than this guy. I will knock this guy out. I’m prepared to knock this guy out. If he wants to fight (Till) after we fight, if he’s fine after recovering from the knockout, let them fight.
Det är fortfarande inte bestämt vem som ska få titelmatchen mot mästaren Tyron Woodley. Ponzinibbio säger sig vara redo att rensa ut hela divisionen för att få sin chans.
I’m a fighter and I fight, man. I’m here to fight, Do you want to put me against the entire division, I’ll beat everybody up, no problem. I will win 35 in a row and go for the belt. I don’t control that. I beat the No. 8 in 80 seconds and moved to No. 10 in the division. There’s people who win two fights and are in the top five. That doesn’t make sense. Wanna give me Mike Perrynow? Give me (him now). I don’t choose opponents, I don’t care. I’m a fighter, I was born to fight. This is my gift and I will fight whoever they want. I’m getting to the top by fighting, not by picking fights and talking. I’m there because I’m good. I dominate my fights. I will fight the entire division if I have to.
Matchen mellan Santiago Ponzinibbio och Mike Perry går på huvudkortet under UFC on FOX 26 som startar 04:00 i morgon bitti.
