Rizvan Kuniev pulled off a significant upset against Jailton Almeida, the No. 6-ranked heavyweight, at UFC Vegas 113 on Saturday night, yet the victory wasn’t met with overwhelming excitement from the fighter. Despite securing the win, which is likely to propel him into the rankings, Kuniev expressed a desire to have showcased a more thrilling performance.
In a post-fight scrum with reporters, including Cageside Press, Kuniev, whose record now stands at 14 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, rated his performance a modest “C.” He acknowledged the disappointment, stating, “Not super excited about the victory because I wasn’t able to show an exciting fight.”
Originally scheduled to face Ryan Spann, Kuniev found himself matched against Almeida after Spann withdrew. Almeida accepted the challenge on short notice, risking his ranking against an unranked fighter coming off a defeat.
Looking ahead, Kuniev’s victory positions him for potential matchups with ranked opponents, including the likes of Waldo Cortes-Acosta, who is currently on a three-fight win streak that features a TKO victory over Derrick Lewis. “I would be interested to fight him of course, that’d be a good one, but I’m ready for anybody. Anybody the organization gives me, anybody the promotion chose for me, I’ll take them,” he expressed.
However, it appears Kuniev has his sights set firmly on Curtis Blaydes, citing their previous encounter as a motivating factor for a rematch. “Most importantly I would love to fight with Curtis Blaydes. Reason being is because we have sort of a history between us. He thinks he won the last fight; I think that I might have been winning that last fight. I think that we need another matchup, another fight, to figure out actually who’s better,” he said.
Kuniev’s spotlight victory not only allows him to contemplate more significant bouts in the division but also serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the sport. Fans and analysts alike will be eager to see how he builds on this win and whether he gets the opportunities he desires moving forward.