Rafael dos Anjos, right, delivers a kick to Anthony Pettis during a men’s lightweight mixed martial arts title bout, Saturday night, March 14, 2015, at UFC 185 in Dallas. Rafael dos Anjos won in five rounds. AP
Conor McGregor’s dream of holding two UFC titles simultaneously may come to fruition on UFC 197, but the trainer of his opponent has rolled out the welcome mat though in a more inhospitable kind of way.
Rafael Cordeiro, the head trainer of UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, told Sherdog.com his pupil is eager to welcome the UFC featherweight champion to the lightweight division.
READ: Rafael dos Anjos stops Donald Cerrone in 1st round
“Rafael is really happy to ‘welcome’ him in a brutal way to the lightweight division,” Cordeiro said.
McGregor made headlines after his one-punch knockout of former champion Jose Aldo at UFC 194, but Cordeiro believes the Irish champion won’t have the same result against his prized ward.
READ: McGregor, Holm to headline double main event for UFC 197—reports
“It’s a fighter that we truly believe we can beat,” Cordeiro said. “He’s coming from a lower division, and he can be sure that he’ll face a strong champion who will not change his style. McGregor has already proven to be a great athlete, but we have five rounds to beat him and Rafael is coming in hungry to beat him, not only physically but spiritually, and to break his soul inside the Octagon.”
“I bet Rafael will finish him in a brutal way, the same way he has finished his last fights.”