UFC middleweight Roman Kopylov hopes to enter the top 15 rankings with a win at UFC 298, calling for Sean Strickland to take him seriously.
Riding an impressive four-fight winning streak ahead of UFC 298 this weekend, Roman Kopylov is looking up the rankings toward the top of the UFC middleweight division.
Whilst the 12-2 Russian thinks that Dricus Du Plessis won’t remain champion for long, Kopylov is already eyeing a potential future fight against former champion Sean Strickland.
Kopylov hopes Strickland takes matchup ‘seriously’ should he win at UFC 298
Roman Kopylov has won four straight UFC fights ahead of his matchup against #15 ranked Anthony Hernandez this weekend, all four coming by way of KO or TKO finish.
Whilst Kopylov will certainly have his hands full with ‘Fluffy’ at UFC 298, the surging prospect told media that a big win could tempt former champion Sean Strickland into a “great fight for the fans.”
“If the win does happen on Saturday, I think Sean [Strickland] himself would be interested in fighting against somebody like myself, who is a striker. I think it would be a really great fight for the fans. So, I think Sean will look at it more seriously that way.”
That being said, Kopylov also admitted that by the time he rises the rankings and enters the title conversation, current champ Dricus Du Plessis will have already lost the belt.
“Middleweight is one of the toughest divisions” in the sport, with the top 15 being “pretty tough” contests for the surging Russian to potentially face down the line.
Yet Kopylov says “When it comes to the champion, anyone in the Top 5 could become the champ soon.”
“I’m not sure what to say about the champion [Dricus Du Plessis], for some reason, I have a feeling that he’s not going to stay champ for a long time.”
Roman Kopylov faces Anthony Hernandez at UFC 298 which will be the opening contest of the PPV main card.