“As soon as the fight got cancelled, Tyson asked me, ‘Now that we have (already done) a camp, what would you say you were still nervous about?’” Raposo said. “I really closed that hole… On Saturday, people are gonna see how much I’ve improved. I’m so sick of these long layoffs between fights. I’m just ready to get in there, get this win, and really start chasing that top 15, top 10 because I know I belong there. I’m grateful the UFC kept this fight together because it’s a huge opportunity for me. I’m ready. I’m f***** ready.”
The flyweight division has been ultra-active this year, and Raposo believes that with a big effort this weekend, he could be the next person to shake things up in the top 15.
“I feel like there are times where I haven’t stepped up, but I feel like this is the one where I can go out there — it’s a great matchup for me, a tough opponent, and if I go out there, get a big win, get a finish, maybe I won’t be ranked, but I definitely could ask for a ranked guy,” he said. “I’m focused completely on Saturday, taking care of business.
“It’s gonna be funny how the narrative is gonna change. It changed a little bit after Abu Dhabi, but it’s been a little bit and fans forget quick, especially in this sport. Being busy is so important and after this one, people are gonna be like, ‘Oh wow — this kid has grown up. He’s not the No. 1 bust that can’t get it done.’ That’s where my head is at.”