“I spent 10 years living in California and all of the sudden I went to Brazil to do a fight camp and I loved it,” Dos Anjos said. “I went back to California after the Paul Felder fight, spoke to my wife and my kids and [said], ‘OK, let’s move to Brazil,’ and I’ve been there for one year already.
“Changing the environment, people around me, the country, to get me more motivated to get up and training hard. It’s been a good experience. Me and my family are happy, and changing my environment was so important for me to keep pushing hard in training.
“I’m the type of guy that even the hours that I train I like to change. Muay Thai three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, then the next week it’s Tuesday and Thursday. I don’t like to get in a routine and changing my life completely after spending 10 years in California, going back to Brazil, staying close with my mother, relatives, it was a good idea.”
He brings his passion for competition to central Florida this weekend, where he challenges a surging Bryan Barberena at the Amway Center. “Bam Bam” has won three straight inside the Octagon, most recently defeating Robbie Lawler via second-round TKO at UFC 276 and wants to make a statement that he deserves a spot amongst the welterweight Top 15.
Dos Anjos wants to do the same.
“He’s very similar to Robbie Lawler,” Dos Anjos said. “We both fought Robbie, and he’s a southpaw, coming forward throwing bombs and he’s a tough opponent. He’s a brawler, he comes to fight, I do too. He’s got a good gas tank and I do too, so I think we have everything to steal the show.
“I plan on going there, be me and bring my A game and all the hard work that I put in training. Mix it up; I think that’s going to be key. Bring all my game: kicks, elbows, knees, ground game, takedowns. I think that’s gonna bring him into deep waters.”
