Paris, France — Cedric Doumbe shrugged off a bizarre loss that saw him stopped via splinter back in March when he made a triumphant return to the Accor Arena at Bellator Paris on Friday.
It took less than a round for the former kickboxer to put away Jaleel Willis, and he fired off a bucket full of ammunition in the process, connecting again and again on the dazed American.
After the fight, Doumbe (6-1) gave props to Willis for coming in with a smart game plan.
“I like him, big respect to him. He had a good study for the fight, I respect that,” he told media outlets including Cageside Press backstage at the Accor Arena. “But as I said I’m the best, and it showed.”
Now, there’s the question of next steps for Doumble, a budding star who the PFL signed out from under the UFC’s nose and clearly intend to use as much as possible. A match-up with Derek Anderson, Doumbe’s original Bellator Paris opponent, is a possibility. Anthony Pettis was also on hand in Paris on Friday, to hype a potential fight between the pair, perhaps in Paris, perhaps in Saudi Arabia.
“There’s no doubt, Anthony Pettis is a better choice, is a way better choice than Derek, because of his name, because of what he’s done in this sport, in UFC,” replied Doumbe when asked which opponent he’d rather face, and where. “So for me, Anthony Pettis in my back yard is amazing.”
Cedric Doumbe also discussed his goals for the future, which include more than just winning a championship.
“I know that I will soon have the PFL, Bellator belt, no matter what organization I’m in I will have the belt. And in fact I know that it will not be enough, I will be champion and yes that will be magnificent,” stated Doumbe, speaking in French. More than just winning the belt, however, he wants to follow through on his predictions, and knock out his opponents. And should Bellator welterweight champ Jason Jackson, who “spoke badly” of Doumbe, still have the belt when he gets to that point, “I’m going to knock him out. Then I take the belt and I defend it. I predict I defend, defend, defend.”
Watch the full Bellator Paris post-fight press scrum with Cedric Doumbe above.
