RIO DE JANEIRO — Former UFC heavyweight title contender Pedro Rizzo is disappointed with the new generation of MMA fighters. Even more so when his bantamweight protégé, Raoni Barcelos, gets benched when “everyone” declines him as an opponent.
A former 145-pound champion in RFA, Barcelos knocked out Kurt Holobaugh in his Octagon debut before dropping to bantamweight and finishing Chris Gutierrez and Carlos Huachin.
Barcelos’ team is trying to get him another fight since his win over Holobaugh in May. But they say many opponents, including Said Nurmagomedov, have turned down an offer to enter the Octagon against him.