Rafael dos Anjos will return to the octagon in the headliner of tonight’s UFC event in Rochester for a welterweight contest with Kevin Lee.
The former lightweight champion, ‘RDA’, has gone 3-2 since joining the promotions 170-pound ranks in June of 2017.
After reeling off three straight victories over Tarec Saffiedine, Neil Magny and Robbie Lawler, Rafael dos Anjos was granted an interim welterweight title shot with Colby Covington at UFC 225.
Unfortunately for fans of the Brazilian, Covington was able use his size and forward pressure to overwhelm and frustrate ‘RDA’ on route to a decision win.
Following his setback to ‘Chaos’, Dos Anjos was given another super tough fight in the form of Kamaru Usman. That fight resulted in lopsided decision win for the Nigerian, who appeared to be the much larger man when compared to Rafael inside the cage.
After back-to-back decision setbacks to two of the welterweight divisions top dogs, many fans and analysts believed that Rafael dos Anjos would consider returning to the lightweight division.
However, after accepting a fight with Kevin Lee at welterweight, Rafael dos Anjos seems adamant that there is only one fight that could ever draw him back down to lightweight.
“Me and Conor McGregor. We’ve been scheduled to fight I think twice,” dos Anjos told reporters during Thursday’s media scrum. “We almost (did), I broke my foot two weeks before that fight and I didn’t know. But we (were) about to fight in Brazil for the interim welterweight title, that’s what I heard. But I think that fight (McGregor), if I get several weeks’ notice, like 3-4 months notice, I think I can make that sacrifice.”
Rafael dos Anjos and Conor McGregor were initially slated to square off at UFC 196 in March of 2016. Sadly that fight failed to come to fruition after the Brazilian suffered a broken foot.
‘RDA’ was later replaced by Nate Diaz, who went on to defeat Conor McGregor via second round submission in a welterweight contest.
Do you think we will ever see Dos Anjos and McGregor throw down inside the octagon? Sound off in the comments section PENN Nation!