Michel Prazeres Not Concerned With Lightweight Division Rankings

Michel Prazeres earned a first round submission victory over Josh Burkman at UFC Fight Night 106.

Prazeres has now earned six victories under the UFC banner and is also unranked in the lightweight division, something the fighter’s not too concerned about.

“I’m not too concerned with (rankings); I’m concerned with fighting,” Prazeres said after UFC Fight Night 106. “To get (a) rhythm going, and any challenge the UFC, I think it’s a bigger challenge for my career and for myself. I think from the first to the 50th, there are no favorites (in the lightweight division). Everyone is at the same level. If you put the last one with the first, he’ll put up a fight, so whatever the UFC wants, I’ll accept any athlete. It’s my job. I’m ready for whatever.”

Despite having six wins in the UFC, the win over Burkman was the first time Prazeres didn’t go the distance in his UFC tenure. After his latest win, another fight in Brazil is what Prazeres targets.

“I asked to fight in June (UFC 212) up there in the octagon,” Prazeres said. “If (UFC President) Dana White thinks I should be there, I’ll be very happy.”

The other five fighters that Prazeres defeated in the UFC are Mairbek Taisumov, Jesse Ronson, Valmir Lazaro, JC Cottrell and Gilbert Burns.