Payton Talbott’s hype practice suffered a significant blow earlier this 12 months when Raoni Barcelos dominated the bantamweight prospect en path to a choice win at UFC 311, and now Felipe Lima goals to derail it altogether once they meet Saturday at UFC 317.
Barcelos and Talbott open the principle card at T-Cell Area in Las Vegas, giving the skilled Brazilian an opportunity to go 3-0 within the group over a highly-touted expertise.
“Talbott likes to strike, he likes to place strain on the opponent,” Lima advised MMA Preventing. “He’s failed on the bottom [against Barcelos] however I feel he’s fighter with nice placing. However there are various holes in his recreation. I do know what he’ll attempt to do. He thinks all I would like is to take him down and maintain him there, however he’s useless mistaken. He’ll attempt to strain me, however I’ll press him again. It’s going to be an amazing struggle for the followers. And I’m glad they moved it to the principle card.”
Lima choked out Muhammad Naimov in his UFC debut in Saudi Arabia after which defeated Miles Johns through determination in Tampa, a match he took on quick discover regardless of battling well being points. He lastly returns to his unique weight class to face Talbott, and vows to be much more dominant at bantamweight.
“I’m manner sooner at 135,” Lima stated. “That is my division. I’m heavier and slower at 145, that’s not my weight class. I’m completely happy to be again to my division, and I can’t wait [for UFC 317].”
A former Oktagon champion primarily based in Sweden, Lima stated the unique plan for UFC 317 was a conflict with Jonathan Martinez, however he was in want for a brand new opponent being knowledgeable Martinez fractured his orbital bone in coaching. Two weeks glided by with nobody accepting to step in, Lima stated, and that’s when he was paired up in opposition to Talbott.
“I used to be getting annoyed as a result of I used to be coaching, I used to be on a weight loss program and able to go, and I feared that I wouldn’t struggle at UFC 317,” Lima stated. “I don’t know what to suppose when others don’t need to struggle me. I feel it’s the chance of preventing somebody unranked. I don’t understand how the negotiations went, however preventing at UFC 317 is a chance you shouldn’t miss. once they known as me I stated sure, whatever the opponent. I’ll by no means select fights.”
Unbeaten since dropping his MMA debut in his native Amazonas again in 2015 and driving a 14-fight successful streak over almost a decade together with a 50 p.c end fee, Lima predicts he stops Talbott “within the second spherical, or late within the third.”
“It’s an amazing alternative to struggle him as a result of he has all this hype behind him, many followers,” Lima stated. “It’s title to beat and put my title for folks on the market within the UFC to see, you recognize? The UFC was already trying to put me in opposition to ranked fighters as a result of they had been having a tough time discovering a standard opponent, cause why they went for Jonathan Martinez. Successful this struggle takes me to a different degree, and I’m positive it’s going to put me subsequent in opposition to a high 10.”
