Kemo
06-20-2019, 06:04 PM
The last time we saw Gegard Mousasi, he defeated welterweight Rory MacDonald in a bout for Mousasi’s middleweight title to show his middleweight supremacy. Now, heading into his Bellator London title defense against Rafael Lovato Jr., Mousasi has interest in fighting another welterweight in the near future, this time for the welterweight championship:
“Welterweight, only if Douglas Lima wins (the Grand Prix final),” Mousasi told MMA Junkie about pursuing a second championship. “That’s going to be more appealing if he wins because a rematch of me vs. Rory (MacDonald) is not that interesting now.”
Even if Douglas Lima were to win the Welterweight Grand Prix, there is another condition that would have to fall in place in order for Mousasi to pursue the welterweight championship:
“Like I’ve always said, they should pay me more. If they don’t pay more, fine, I have a contract. I’m worth more against Ryan Bader, and I’m worth more if I fight Douglas Lima for the belt. That’s the way I feel. My value goes up because the opponent is better, and more people would like to see that. I guess if they don’t want to pay, I’m fine. I’ll fight my own middleweight fights.”
But in order for Mousasi to fight Douglas Lima to win a second championship, he must be able to hold on to first retain his middleweight championship against an undefeated Rafael Lovato Jr., whom Mousasi is not overlooking:
“He’s good,” Mousasi said of his opponent. “He’s not been tested yet, so there are a lot of questions that have to be answered. His stand-up is decent; wrestling, not so much. But his ground is really good, so obviously if we play his game he has a better chance of winning.
“He’s 9-0, and the last two opponents … (Chris) Honeycutt was good and the other guy, big-eared guy (John Salter), he was undefeated in Bellator, and he beat him, so he’s up there.”
“Welterweight, only if Douglas Lima wins (the Grand Prix final),” Mousasi told MMA Junkie about pursuing a second championship. “That’s going to be more appealing if he wins because a rematch of me vs. Rory (MacDonald) is not that interesting now.”
Even if Douglas Lima were to win the Welterweight Grand Prix, there is another condition that would have to fall in place in order for Mousasi to pursue the welterweight championship:
“Like I’ve always said, they should pay me more. If they don’t pay more, fine, I have a contract. I’m worth more against Ryan Bader, and I’m worth more if I fight Douglas Lima for the belt. That’s the way I feel. My value goes up because the opponent is better, and more people would like to see that. I guess if they don’t want to pay, I’m fine. I’ll fight my own middleweight fights.”
But in order for Mousasi to fight Douglas Lima to win a second championship, he must be able to hold on to first retain his middleweight championship against an undefeated Rafael Lovato Jr., whom Mousasi is not overlooking:
“He’s good,” Mousasi said of his opponent. “He’s not been tested yet, so there are a lot of questions that have to be answered. His stand-up is decent; wrestling, not so much. But his ground is really good, so obviously if we play his game he has a better chance of winning.
“He’s 9-0, and the last two opponents … (Chris) Honeycutt was good and the other guy, big-eared guy (John Salter), he was undefeated in Bellator, and he beat him, so he’s up there.”