With a four-fight win streak dating back to December 2013 notched under his belt, Ryan Bader is brimming with confidence. In fact, Bader believes he is quite close to an elusive title shot and he plans on knocking out Daniel Cormier to cement his claim at the championship.
“I’m gonna go out there – and I’ve had a couple, you know four or whatever decisions last couple of fights, you know? I want to go out there and I want to stop him,” Bader told Submission Radio. “I want to make a statement, to go out there and knock him out and earn this title shot.”
Bader’s confidence partially stems from his self-belief that Cormier is not a superior wrestler over him. Bader suggested that there are several tactics he could implement to negate Cormier’s takedown attempts. He believes that if he can limit Cormier’s supposed advantages in the fight, he will stand a strong chance of winning by stoppage.
“He’s been fighting a lot of guys that aren’t really wrestlers. He fought Pat Cummins yes, and he fought Jones. He lost to Jones, we didn’t see too much in the Cummins fight. So I think a lot of times people are just kind of surprised with that whole wrestling, and he has some different things that if you’re not aware of and you’re not in that wrestling world, you’re not thinking they’re much, but then when Daniel Cormier gets a hold of you and you’re going for a ride, you know? And there’s little things that can negate his takedowns and all that kind of stuff. It’s just high level wrestling, and people that don’t know much about wrestling and step in there with Cormier, and obviously he’s a very confident, very good wrestler, they’re going to have a tough time.”
The TUF veteran also revealed that Cormier is a remarkably hittable target – one that does not care for being elusive. According to Bader, this will not bode well for Cormier on fight night.
“The thing about [Daniel] Cormier as opposed to maybe somebody like I fought last – Phil Davis. He was hard to hit, he was very awkward and all that kind of stuff; you never feel like you’re set up to throw a punch, but Cormier you know you can hit him. He comes straight forward, you know what he’s going to do. He’s going to come straight in your face, he’s going to try and bully you with that overtie with punches, and then with his single leg in wrestling. So for me, after watching that title fight, you know that’s his first loss. He had a taste of that and I’m going to give him another one.”
UFC Fight Night: Cormier vs. Bader is scheduled to take place on June 6.
Transcription taken from Submission Radio.
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