UFC Denver’s Davi Ramos pulled off another rear-naked choke on Saturday night, part of the UFC’s 25th anniversary event, and he’s aiming high — though willing to fight whoever the UFC puts in front of him.
Denver, CO — Lightweight Davi Ramos made short work of opponent John Gunther at UFC Denver on Saturday night. Part of the preliminary card at the UFC’s 25th anniversary show, the submission ace proved once again that he is deadly on the ground. No surprise, given Ramos’ decorated grappling resume, including winning gold at the ADCC world championships in 2015.
On the ground is not where you want to go with Ramos. Yet the Brazilian told reporters including Cageside Press backstage at the Pepsi Center on Saturday that he’d actually been working on his striking. He just didn’t get to show it. “As soon as I get him and take him [Gunther] down, I say ‘man, I have to do my job.'” The choke came shortly after. Maybe next time.
Ramos is a fighter who has been loathe to call his shots in the octagon, or in the press. “I work for UFC,” he explained. “I never ask for any fighter, I never choose any fight. If you guys see my record, all the guys, just John Gunther has less fights than me. But most of my fights they have much more fights than me. I never choose any fight. I work for UFC, so who they put me [against] to fight, I’m going to come here, I’m going to show my striking, I’m going to show my jiu-jitsu, and then I come here to finish the fight — a knockout, or submission.” In short, let the bosses decided, he’ll fight who they give him.
With one exception. Following Saturday’s win, he did say the name of the champion — Khabib Nurmagomedov. Yet Ramos clarified Saturday that it wasn’t a call out per se. Rather, he was simply letting the UFC know that he’s aiming for the title.
“I’m asking for Khabib because Khabib is number one, he is the champion you know? I look at him, I don’t see him. [I see] the best guy on the game,” Ramos said. “I see him, he’s really good on his game. He takes down everyone, and smash everyone. So let’s see if he can do it with me. I have my jiu-jitsu, let’s see. That’s why. I want to come here, I want to be champ of this game.” Which means beating the man with the belt. Hence Nurmagomedov. No doubt, if someone else held the title, that would have been the name he’d said.
With the win over Gunther, Ramos (9-2) has won three straight, all by submission. All by rear-naked choke. He’s yet to crack the top fifteen, but if he continues to pile up wins, it’s only a matter of time. As to when he wants to get back in the octagon, Ramos replied simply “very soon.”
