‘Cold-Blooded’ Rafael dos Anjos Ignores Trash Talk, Focuses on Becoming Two-Division Champion

If he defeats Colby Covington and captures interim welterweight gold at UFC 225, Rafael dos Anjos will enter the rarified air of fighters to hold championships in two divisions within the Las Vegas-based promotion.

Dos Anjos claimed the lightweight belt with a dominant five-round verdict over Anthony Pettis at UFC 185 and defended the title with a first-round stoppage of Donald Cerrone at UFC on Fox 17. After back-to-back losses against Eddie Alvarez and Tony Ferguson, the Rio de Janeiro native moved up to 170 pounds, where he has looked impressive in victories over Tarec Saffiedine, Neil Magny and Robbie Lawler.

“It means a lot,” dos Anjos said of the opportunity during a recent media call. “I’m about to be among the very few to have two belts. I’ve been training very hard to get my second belt and make history.”

In Covington, dos Anjos will be facing an opponent who captured a junior college national championship and All America honors as a wrestler. Covington is probably the best wrestler the Brazilian has faced since Khabib Nurmagomedov, who took dos Anjos down six times en route to a decision victory in April 2014. Dos Anjos has been taken down a grand total of five times in 10 bouts since, and claims he is much improved from that meeting with Nurmagomedov.

“That fight was four years ago. I’m a completely different guy,” he said. “I’ve been getting better every fight. I’m so pumped. I’ve been training hard. I’m been improving my game in every aspect.”

In addition to his wrestling background, Covington has been trying to irritate dos Anjos with his pre-fight trash talk. The American Top Team product has insulted the entire nation of Brazil on multiple occasions, but RDA claims this approach won’t affect him come Saturday night in Chicago.

“Not at all. I’m a cold-blooded fighter. I have no emotions. Once I step in that cage, I’m just going to think about making that guy quit and hurting him,” dos Anjos said.

“People talk, they do whatever they want to make money. That’s not my way of doing business. I’m a martial artist. I’ve been in this game for 14 years. I think this guy is promoting the fight. I’m just going to go down on fight night and do my thing.”

Dos Anjos reiterates that no amount of verbal warfare can alter his focus on the main goal: Making history both as a UFC fighter and as a native of Brazil. That would be the biggest accomplishment of an already impressive career.

"Yes, I would become two-division champion. You know very few guys achieve that, and you know my goal right now you know go [to UFC 225], beat Colby and become you know first Brazilian to get two belts and be among the few guys that have two belts. It's a lot - it means a lot for my legacy."