Rodrigo Nascimento wants top 15 opponent after win over Ilir Latifi at UFC Fight Night 224

LAS VEGAS – UFC heavyweight Rodrigo Nascimento hopes to net a ranked opponent in his next fight.

Nascimento (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) defeated Ilir Latifi (16-9 MMA, 9-7 UFC) by split decision in this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 224 prelims at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

With momentum on his side having won two straight bouts, the 30-year-old Brazilian has his eye on the top 15 heavyweights.

“I will be happy with someone in the top 15,” Nascimento told reporters at the post-fight news conference. “I don’t have any names, but I will be happy with somebody in the top 15 for sure.”

Nascimento’s fight with Latifi was close, with Latifi raising his hands moments after the horn sounded. But Nascimento was confident that he had done enough to earn the win on the judges’ scorecards.

“I won the first and the third round,” Nascimento said. “The second I lost, but it was a really, really close round.”

Nascimento started out his career having finished all his professional wins. His past two have gone the distance, but Nascimento is happy to log in the minutes.

“This fight is really, really important for me to show everyone I can fight three rounds,” Nascimento said. “Normally, heavyweights can just fight one, one-and-a-half rounds and get super tired, but I’m different. I have better conditioning to fight three rounds. Maybe one day, five rounds.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 224.