Raphael Assuncao is ready for a bantamweight title shot

Raphael Assuncao is easily one of the best UFC fighters to never receive a UFC title shot. After his decisive UFC 226 decision win over the dangerous Rob Font, which extended his current win-streak to four-straight, he’s hoping that changes. The Brazilian bantamweight contender, who owns victories over current UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw and surging contender Marlon Moraes, is ready for his title shot.

“Hopefully, it will catapult me to a title shot – which is what I want,” Assuncao told MMAjunkie shortly after his UFC 226 defeat of Font. “And I think even though it was a decision, I was able to once again showcase what I can do and change my strategy on the fly and implement what I wanted to implement in the fight.”

“I think I have a lot to add with this fight to my overall game even more,” he continued. “Hopefully it will help me and when the chance presents itself for a title shot, I’ll be even more experienced. I may not get all the knockouts. I may not kick everybody [to a knockout] in 30 seconds, but the experience is there and nobody can take that away from me.”

While Assuncao is hoping a title shot will be next, he’s also a little frustrated that he hasn’t been granted the opportunity already, and will be hard-pressed to accept anything else for his next fight.

“I’m frustrated,” he said. “Dana White’s my boss. He’s the one who signs my check. Sean Shelby is my boss – the matchmaker. At the end of the day, whatever their decision is, it is what it is. But I don’t have any interest right now of who I’m going to fight [other than a title fight].”

The next UFC bantamweight title fight, which will see Dillashaw attempt to defend his title in a rematch with Cody Garbrandt, headlines UFC 227 on August 4. Do you think Raphael Assuncao deserves a fight with the victor?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 7/9/2018.