UFC middleweight Alan Belcher recently returned for a long layoff due to an eye injury, and is looking to get back in the thick of things at 185. He is scheduled to face submission ace Rousimar Palhares at UFC on Fox 3 on May 5th, and he believes that his BJJ is good enough to actually submit the big time grappler. He said as much in a video interview with Couch Fighter (transcribed by MMA Mania):
“I feel honored the UFC family wanted me to be on [the FOX] card and believed in my abilities and show the fans that I’m gonna be a champ. I’m one of the top contenders and I’m ready to prove it. I’d be stupid to try and force a grappling match. I’m gonna use my strength, my strategy, not that I can’t grapple, but he can’t really strike that good. It’s a huge advantage for me just by keeping it on the feet. He’s gonna have to get me in one of those situations and I’m not gonna let that happen. Best of luck to him, I don’t think he’s gonna get a hold of me and do anything. I’m a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Some people might be surprised but I’ll give him a nice little run on the ground and may submit him.”
While it definitely seems like a stretch, stranger things have happened.
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