LAS VEGAS – Alex Caceres has been part of the UFC roster since March 2011. Fans have gotten to know him quite well during that time, and if one thing has become evident, it’s that he likes to go with the flow.
Caceres (19-12 MMA, 14-10 UFC) isn’t the type to speak out of turn, make crazy callouts on social media or declare his intention to became a world champion. He takes the process as it goes, and on Saturday it leads him into a featherweight bout with Sodiq Yusuff (11-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 203 from the UFC Apex.
It’s an important fight for Caceres, who has been on the best run of his career with five consecutive victories. A victory would elevate his resume, but it’s just a small part of Caceres’ plan to keep active and consistent for many years to come. He’s already been on the roster for nearly 11 years, and he wants another nine.
“If I set up one lofty goal, it was just to be the fighter with the longest running active career,” Caceres told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 203 media day. “I know I’m closing in on the top guy right now who has 11 years. I beat him out of the running. If I make it to 42 (years old), that’ll be 20 years (in the UFC). So let’s see who tops that.”
Caceres is not big on calling out opponents, but Yusuff is a name he lopped out after a win roughly a year ago. It never came to fruition, but now he’ll get the matchup.
“We definitely know that because we called him out almost a year ago, and we tried to get that fight before, but I think he turned it down because he was injured,” Caceres said. “We know that he’s very similar to the last guy I fought. He’s going to come straight in, he’s going to try to walk you down, and he’s going to try to land that cross.
If Caceres wins, he’ll be in uncharted territory in his career as far as win-streak and divisional positioning. He said he thinks more about getting bigger paydays than he does bigger opponents, but in a complicated game like MMA, Caceres also understands everything is tied together.
“I do think about the rankings,” Caceres said. “I’m aware of it. I’m just not attached to it. I’m always prepared to lose, which I believe allows me to win more readily.
Go-with-the-flow Alex Caceres has just ‘one lofty goal’ to fight in UFC for 20 years
