Mitch Raposo | Time To Show Up And Prove Himself

“I’m excited to give myself a new experience there,” he said. “I went to enemy territory against a really tough guy and beat him (last time), so now it’s kind of like I’m coming home. I spend a lot of time in Vegas. I love coming out here. It’s always had a special place in my heart since I was a kid… I want Mick (Maynard), Sean (Shelby) there, front and center, and to go out there and put on a show, show how much I’ve grown since then. I’m gonna go out there and give myself a new experience in that place.”

This weekend’s matchup with Nascimento wasn’t initially intended to take place this weekend in Las Vegas as the duo was originally scheduled to compete in April in Winnipeg before Raposo fell ill. Raposo kept hoping he would feel better, but as the days passed in Manitoba, Raposo’s coach Tyson Chartier could tell his fighter was putting on an act. 

“I was throwing up, I had a fever, had the chills I was in pretty bad shape, and I kept saying, ‘I’m good. I’m good,’” Raposo said. “I was like, ‘I gotta get to the weight cut, get this weight off,’ but then I wasn’t sleeping, so my weight was super-high, and I couldn’t workout. I was overheating. I’d be in the workout room coughing the whole time, everybody looking at me. I kind of had the mindset that I just had to get to the next day and I would feel better; I’d get through to Saturday and feel better, and I just never felt better. It kept getting worse. I couldn’t keep any food down… Even Saturday when I flew home, I threw up at the airport. It was a nightmare of a week.”

Raposo is grateful for how the UFC handled the unfortunate circumstances, immediately rebooking the matchup for June and easing any concern about an extended stretch without fights. 

“I feel that I improved so much (these last few months),” Raposo said. “I had that extra time to sharpen up triggers and things that I needed for the fight anyway and I feel super-prepared. I was prepared then, but not I really feel this guy doesn’t have anywhere that I’m not gonna be comfortable and I’m not gonna be ready.”

A big part of the reason for Raposo’s gratitude and excitement is that Nascimento enters on a four-fight winning streak and is viewed as someone that could already have a number next to his name.

But Raposo has other plans.

“As soon as the fight got cancelled, Tyson asked me, ‘Now that we have (already done) a camp, what would you say you were still nervous about?’” Raposo said. “I really closed that hole… On Saturday, people are gonna see how much I’ve improved. I’m so sick of these long layoffs between fights. I’m just ready to get in there, get this win, and really start chasing that top 15, top 10 because I know I belong there. I’m grateful the UFC kept this fight together because it’s a huge opportunity for me. I’m ready. I’m f***** ready.”

The flyweight division has been ultra-active this year, and Raposo believes that with a big effort this weekend, he could be the next person to shake things up in the top 15.

“I feel like there are times where I haven’t stepped up, but I feel like this is the one where I can go out there — it’s a great matchup for me, a tough opponent, and if I go out there, get a big win, get a finish, maybe I won’t be ranked, but I definitely could ask for a ranked guy,” he said. “I’m focused completely on Saturday, taking care of business. 

"It’s gonna be funny how the narrative is gonna change. It changed a little bit after Abu Dhabi, but it’s been a little bit and fans forget quick, especially in this sport. Being busy is so important and after this one, people are gonna be like, ‘Oh wow — this kid has grown up. He’s not the No. 1 bust that can’t get it done.’ That’s where my head is at.”