Brendan Schaub looks to move up the heavyweight rankings
On 23 October, Brendan Schaub defeated Gabriel Gonzaga at the Ultimate Fighting Championship's UFC 121 event. The victory put Schaub’s mixed martial arts record at 7-1. Schaub is looking
to climb the heavyweight ranks and earn a title shot and told MMA Weekly he wants Frank Mir or Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic.
Schaub’s unanimous decision victory over Gonzaga marked the first time he took a fight to the third round. All of Schaub’s previous victories came via knockout or technical knockout in
the first round. His only loss, to Roy Nelson, took place during the heavyweight finale of season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality television show. Nelson knocked Schaub out in the first round.
Schaub has no interest in a rematch with Nelson though.
“As far as the redemption stuff, it doesn’t do it for me. I am a different fighter now. I truly believe in my heart, 100 percent, the outcome would be different between Roy and I. I would
prefer a bigger name like Frank Mir or Cro Cop,” said Schaub on MMAWeekly radio.
In the most recent USA Today/SB Nation consensus MMA rankings, Schaub was listed as the number 13 heavyweight, while Mir ranks seventh and Filipovic is the number 18 ranked fighter. Nelson
is ranked two spots ahead of Filipovic at number 16, but despite Filipovic having been widely seen as far past his prime, he's still a huge name in the business.
Schaub spoke about why he wants Mir or Filipovic as his next opponent, “I think the next step up from a guy like Gonzaga would be a guy like Frank Mir or ‘Cro Cop’. For me, that’s kind
of headed in the direction of getting closer to the title.”
Mir versus Filipovic was the main event at UFC 119 in Indianapolis on 25 September of this year. Many viewed the bout as boring until Mir caught Filipovic with a big knee and knocked him
out at the 4:02 mark of the third round. The bout at UFC 119 was the last time either fighter competed inside the Octagon.
Schaub is looking to get back in the Octagon in early spring and with Mir and Filipovic not fighting since September, a Schaub vs. Mir or Schaub vs. Filipovic fight is plausible.
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