Uncasville, CT — Lightweight prospect Chris Gonzalez improved to 6-0 on Friday at Bellator 255 with arguably his biggest win yet. At least, his biggest scalp yet — belonging to veteran star Roger Huerta.
After forcing Huerta to tap to strikes, who does the Team Alpha Male fighter have his eye on next? “You’re always looking at the top, right? Starting with the champ,” Gonzalez told Cageside Press and other media outlets following the event at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
The champ, of course, would be Patricio Pitbull. Who holds gold at both lightweight and featherweight, the latter of which is currently tied up in a grand prix. “Obviously he’s got his hands full with this tournament, and everything else, being a two-division champ and stuff like that. That’s the goal, is always to have that belt wrapped around my waist. Nobody in particular that I’ve got my eye on at the moment.”
Like he said in the cage, added Gonzalez, he’ll let the matchmakers do their thing, “and it’s my job to go out there and fight whoever they put in front of me.”
However, this time around, he was looking for a big name. Reason being, his defeat of Vladimir Tokov didn’t seem to get the credit it was due.
“When I beat [Tokov], I probably didn’t get the recognition that I felt like I deserved. Because that f*cking dude is going to be tough, I’m sure I’ll come across him again in the future,” said Gonzalez. “So for this one, I just wanted to fight someone who had been around a little bit longer, who had a name for themselves that could kind of help me ascend.” Huerta, once one of the biggest stars of the sport, on the cover of ESPN, fit the bill.
Gonzalez gave up a shot at the U.S. Olympic team to pursue MMA. Quite literally, he gave up his chance to make it to the Olympics to fight at Bellator 255. “It’s bittersweet, but it was the right decision for me,” he said following the win over Huerta.
Watch the full Bellator 255 post-fight press scrum with Chris Gonzalez above.
