Dennis Bermudez knows winning alone not enough for UFC title shot
MEXICO CITY – The lightweight division is so chock full of title contenders, fan-friendly guys and just plain ferocious fighters that for several years, it has been the overwhelming choice as the UFC's finest weight class.
Suddenly, though, there is enough depth in the featherweight division that a reasonable argument could be made that it is deeper than the lightweight division.
Starting with champion Jose Aldo, unquestionably one of the greatest fighters in the 20-plus-year history of mixed martial arts, the UFC's 145-pound weight class is filled with superb athletes and fearsome fighters. At or near the top of that pack is No. 7-ranked Dennis Bermudez, who faces Ricardo Lamas on Saturday at UFC 180 at Mexico City Arena. It's a fight that easily could be regarded as the best on paper of the entire 11-fight card.
Bermudez has won seven in a row and a win over the uber-tough Lamas would place him squarely in the conversation for a title shot with Aldo.
Because Bermudez is only ranked seventh, despite his impressive streak, it would seem tough to get a title shot in his next outing no matter how good he looks against Lamas.
"It's a business and I know how it works," Bermudez said.
That's not to say that Bermudez is accepting of his lot, and willing to bide his time, because he's not. He believes a win will have earned him the title opportunity, no matter the elite competition also chasing it.
However, things out of his hands that are hurting his effort. The buzz that surrounds Conor McGregor, for instance, simply hasn't come Bermudez's way.
But he has two very important, and highly influential, fans who could make a difference for him. UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and president Dana White each eagerly describes himself as a Bermudez fan.
White has plenty of choices for Aldo's next challenger and since he doesn't have to make a decision now, he won't. Aldo is coming off an impressive win last month over Chad Mendes.
Bermudez will be in play with a win over Lamas. The winner of the Nov. 22 bout in Austin, Texas, between Frankie Edgar and Cub Swanson also will be a candidate, as will McGregor if he gets past Dennis Siver on Jan. 18 in Boston.
Such a situation should make for great fights, because with such fierce competition for the title shot, winning may not simply be enough. It's going to be winning and looking good that will likely sway White's mind.
Bermudez lost his UFC debut to Diego Brandao in 2011, but subsequently has reeled off seven straight wins. In those eight fights, he's been in Fight of the Night twice, had a Submission of the Night and has won earned Performance of the Night awards in his last two bouts.
He's on a roll, and can take heart in the fact that White has clearly noticed. He's not only winning, but he's winning impressively in entertaining fashion and that always catches White's eye.
"I don't disagree at all," White said when it was suggested Bermudez might have the best argument for a title shot if he beats Lamas impressively. "I'm actually a huge Dennis Bermudez fan. Me and Lorenzo talk about him all the time, and how much fun he is to watch and how he's evolved since he's been on 'The Ultimate Fighter.'
"That whole division is exciting, and I don't think Bermudez is being overlooked at all. How can you not love how this guy fights? But there is a lot of excitement in that division. After that Aldo-Mendes fight, and obviously with all the chatter about Conor, people are paying very close attention to what's going on in that division. They're even talking about Nik Lentz now."
White said that because of the many intriguing matchups that could be made at featherweight, fans are checking the division extra closely.
Bermudez knows what is at stake on Saturday, but he has worked hard to focus on staying in the moment. Bermudez knows that the athlete who looks ahead is often the athlete who is regretful in the locker room after a bout. As best as he possibly can, he's going to put his thoughts of Aldo aside until after the fight with Lamas – who has won five of his last six, including a finish over Swanson – is over.
"I am up there with the big dogs now in title contention, but it's not my main focus," Bermudez said. "The title is not my main focus right now. Ricardo Lamas went the distance with Aldo. He's looked good in a ton of his fights. He wants to fight his way back into the mix, so he's going to be the best he can be. I know all that.
"And so I have to be ready to beat the best version of him that we've seen. I know what I'm up against."
But it's only human nature, even if only briefly, to think about what if: What if he wins? What if he finishes Lamas? What if he earns another post-fight bonus? Then what?
"Lamas went the full five against Aldo, so if I am able to finish him, what will that say?" Bermudez said. "That will be a statement of where I am and what I've done. But I can't make the mistake of doing anything but keeping my thoughts entirely on this fight.
"I've had a great run to this point, but the most important fight I have is the one Saturday. That's the one I need the most, and it's the only one I'm thinking about."
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