At Friday’s Bellator 283, Team Alpha Male lightweight Chris Gonzalez has the unenviable task of facing off with undefeated Dagestani Usman Nurmagomedov.
Nurmagomedov has been heavily promoted coming into the fight, with Gonzalez himself being somewhat overlooked. That’s not something that bothers the 30-year old.
“Not at all. His family’s done everything to deserve that, so I think it’s rightfully so,” Gonzalez told media outlets including Cageside Press during this week’s Bellator 283 media day. “I asked for this fight because I kind of anticipated that being the case. So once I go out there and get this W, I’ll get to steal some of that light.”
The plan, he said, is that “I’m just going to do what I do. Just go out there and be athletic, be patient. Pick my spots. When I’m in be all the way in, when I’m out be all the way out.”
As far as his opponent goes, Gonzalez questions Nurmagomedov’s quality of opposition, for starters — but isn’t looking past him.
“Usman is currently undefeated; he doesn’t really have the best resume I wouldn’t say. He hasn’t really fought too many guys, they’ve been building him pretty good. But I’m not overlooking him by any means. I know what he’s capable of, I know what his family is capable of. I’m going to give him all the respect that he deserves and his family deserves, but at the end of the day, it’s a dogfight, and I think I’m the better dog.”
Watch the full Bellator 283 media day appearance from Chris Gonzalez above. Gonzalez faces Usman Nurmagomedov on Friday, July 22, 2022 in Tacoma, Washington.
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Roman Faraldo
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Tofiq Musayev
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Sidney Outlaw
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Usman Nurmagomedov
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Douglas Lima
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Davion Franklin
