October 19, 2024 8:00 am ET
Daniel Barez needs to check himself in opposition to one of many hottest names within the UFC’s flyweight division as we speak.
The Spanish fighter is hoping to get booked in opposition to Mexico’s Ronaldo Rodriguez, higher generally known as “Lazy Boy,” for his subsequent journey to the octagon. Barez (17-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) thinks it’s a battle that lends itself to be a fan-friendly affair and thinks it’s a subsequent step that is sensible for each events.
“He’s a fighter that needed to undergo quite a bit to get within the UFC as properly,” Barez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “He went to Contender Collection, misplaced, after which got here again – which is similar to my path.
“He’s a warrior, he’s Mexican, and I prepare in Mexico as properly, and he has a warrior’s spirit. I feel it might be a very good battle. He has actually good boxing and good wrestling and jiu-jitsu. He has two UFC fights like me, so I don’t assume I’m asking for something loopy. I hope I get it.” Barez is coming off a unanimous determination over Victor Altamirano at a UFC Battle Evening in Paris final month. In the meantime, “Lazy Boy” additionally comes off a decision win, as he outpointed Ode Osbourne at UFC 306 at Sphere.
Though he was already on his radar, Barez preferred what he noticed from Rodriguez (17-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC), which made him much more all for calling him out.
“I assumed it was a really powerful battle, and but he was capable of pull off the comeback after getting knocked down by his opponent,” Barez stated. “The reality is that that’s why I’d like to battle him. He’s a man that fights until the very finish, and I contemplate myself the identical sort of fighter. I battle until the top, and I don’t surrender. That’s why I need to battle him.”
Barez was born and nonetheless lives in Spain, however he does a superb chunk of his coaching camps at Entram Gymnasium in Tijuana, Mexico. All through his years touring to the Americas, Barez has picked up the world-famous Mexican boxing fashion – which he want to put to the take a look at in opposition to a local.
“He’s Mexican, and he trains his boxing with nice execs,” Barez stated. “I’m Spanish, however I’ve been coaching a very long time in Mexico, so I’d like to field him. He packing containers properly, however so do I. I hit very arduous and I can knock anybody out within the division, identical to he can. So let’s see who has higher Mexican boxing, let’s throw down.”
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