With a win over Timur Valiev, Raoni Barcelos hopes he finally gets to fight a ranked opponent

Unbeaten in the UFC, Raoni Barcelos is looking to propel himself to the upper echelon of the bantamweight division.

Barcelos (16-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) meets Timur Valiev at UFC Fight Night 190 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The former RFA featherweight champion has been nothing short of impressive since joining the UFC roster in 2018, which has led to some big matchups that never came to fruition.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to face Merab Dvalishvili,” Barcelos told MMA Junkie. “Even though I felt fine, the athletic commission decided it was too soon after my three-round victory over Khalid Taha. My total suspension was 90 days. Then I was booked against Raphel Assuncao in February, but he dropped out claiming some health issues.

“Raphael got replaced by Marcelo Rojo, but then I tested positive for COVID-19 a week before the bout. This isn’t good for me. I wanted to fight way more frequently, but things don’t always work out the way we want them to. Regardless, I always remain ready to fight. Hopefully, I’ll bring another victory home to Brazil and I’ll remain healthy so I can fight again as quickly as possible.”

Although Valiev (17-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is not ranked, Barcelos knows he’s a game opponent. He envisions finishing him wherever the fight goes as he looks to net another impressive performance in pursuit of climbing the bantamweight ladder.

“He’s another tough guy from Russia,” Barcelos said. “He’s my second opponent from there after Said Nurmagomedov. I think Said has many more weapons in the cage than Timur. Timur is a complete fighter, but so am I. I’ll feel him out and bring the fight to wherever I’m most comfortable. If I see a KO, I’ll knock him out, and if he gives me a chance, I’ll get him down and submit him.

“Sooner or later, I’ll have a ranked opponent. Of course, I’m aware that the bantamweight class is pretty full. But I’ve always said – and I’ll always say – I’m here to be champion, not just another fighter. I need to get past Timur now, so I can climb up another rung, and face someone in the top 10.”