Volkanovski plays down Jean Silva's title shot and names Sterling the favourite
Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has placed Jean Silva behind Aljamain Sterling in the queue for the 66 kg title shot. The Australian says the Brazilian from Fighting Nerds only becomes the favourite if Sterling beats Kevin Vallejos in November at UFC Qatar.
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A vaga de desafiante ao cinturão dos penas (66 kg) do UFC segue aberta, e o campeão Alexander Volkanovski resolveu entrar no debate. Em entrevista ao The Ariel Helwani Show, o australiano colocou Jean Silva atrás de Aljamain Sterling na fila.
Volkanovski reconheceu que o brasileiro da Fighting Nerds está em boa posição, mas condicionou o favoritismo a uma vitória de Sterling sobre Kevin Vallejos.
“Está entre o Aljo e o Jean Silva, ambos estão ali. Mas acredito que se o Aljamain vencer mais uma luta, ele merece isso mais do que o Silva”, disse o campeão.
A conta do brasileiro, porém, não está fechada. Sterling enfrenta Vallejos em novembro, no UFC Catar, e uma derrota do americano reabriria o caminho para Jean Silva.
Não é a primeira vez que o nome do brasileiro é colocado em segundo plano. O próprio técnico de Jean, Joe Lopez, já havia apontado Sterling como desafiante mais “formidável”. Já o ex-campeão Demetrious Johnson saiu em defesa do brasileiro.
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