Bellator bantamweight champion Eduardo Dantas will have the biggest and most notable fight in his career on Friday night at Bellator 128 as he faces interim bantamweight champion Joe Warren in a title unification bout.
Dantas (16-3) was initially scheduled to face Warren at Bellator 118 in May, but an injury forced him out of the fight and Warren ended up defeating Rafael Silva by unanimous decision to win the interim title.
Since that night in May, Dantas and Warren have exchange words on social media and they will finally get the opportunity to face each other in the cage on Friday at the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
In the build up to this fight, Warren has stated that this fight is personal due to the allegations that Dantas made about him. For Dantas, he does not care what Warren has to say about him and he never disrespects his opponents.
“Joe Warren likes to talk a lot of trash but I don’t care what he’s been saying about me or what he thinks,” Dantas said. “My focus is only on the fight itself. No matter what he has to say about me or the fight, we face each other in a few days and we’ll find out then.”
“I am never disrespectful to my opponents or to anyone else. I came from a very humble place and MMA gave me the opportunity to have a better life and to help support my family and loved ones. If I were to act disrespectful, what kind of example would I set for others, or for the young kids who look up to me? Coach Dede is a very classy and respectful person and he’s taught everyone here at Nova Uniao the importance of respect in martial arts. We will keep this way whether we are winning or losing. Companies want real men to sponsor — if I maintain my sportsmanlike conduct, it will be better for me and for everyone around me.”
Since Warren dropped to bantamweight, he has shown the evolution in his overall mixed martial arts arsenal. At one time, people would comment that Warren was just a wrestler but Dantas knows that this is a different Joe Warren.
“I understand that Joe Warren has been showing some new skills and is maybe not just a wrestler anymore, which does not surprise me,” he said. “As I said, every fighter must continually evolve and strive to make improvements. He is doing his part, and I am doing mine.”
“Joe Warren has many good skills as a fighter. I believe that his biggest advantage is his power, both in his striking and his wrestling ability. For me, my biggest advantages in this fight will be my cardio, my strong will and my team.”
With a victory over Warren, Dantas would become only the third Bellator champion to make at least three successful title defenses and he is planning to win with a dominating performance.
“I want to continue my momentum as the Bellator bantamweight champion and impress all the people who are watching in the arena or on Spike TV. So it is definitely important for me to defend my belt, to have a dominant performance and to finish Joe Warren.”