RDA: It’s not worth trying to make 155

Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos spoke with Fernanda Prates for MMAjunkie at the UFC Fight Night 106 weigh-ins in Fortaleza, Brazil. RDA has decided to move up to welterweight.

The fighter did a risk-reward calculation and determined that making 155 was no longer worth it for the post-champion purses he gets now.

For how much I’m making right now, it’s not worth it for me to make 155, said dos Anjos. If it’s a superfight and I’ll make more money, I’ll do it. But [for] how much I’m making right now, it’s not worth it to put my body at that level of stress and [getting beat up].

The Brazilian hopes to be fighting at UFC 212 on June 3, 2017, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, vs. a world-class TBA.

I think the ideal date for me would be any day in June, he said. “So I’m here in Fortaleza to have [conversations] because I know I’m going to have a fight soon. I have no idea about an opponent or where, but I’ll be ready in June.

I want to fight one of the top guys. I was thinking about fighting Jorge Masvidal, but he’s fighting Demian [Maia], because me and Jorge, we’re the only two guys to beat Donald Cerrone in his last 15 fights. Now, I have no idea. I’m a former lightweight champion, and I want to fight the top guys in the division.

The UFC 170 division is deep:
Champion: Tyron Woodley
1. Stephen Thompson
2. Robbie Lawler
3. Demian Maia
4. Carlos Condit
5. Neil Magny
6. Jorge Masvidal
7. Dong Hyun Kim
8. Donald Cerrone
9. Gunnar Nelson
10. Tarec Saffiedine

The UFC has invested a significant amount of media in Stephen Thompson and has hopes for him for the future. RDA is coming off two losses, one of them a failed title fight; prior to that, he was on a five-fight wins streak. Wonderboy is coming off two losses, one of them a failed title fight and one a draw in a title fight; prior to that, he was on a seven-fight win streak. A fight between the two would fulfill a number of needs