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Junior Dos Santos: ‘Ridiculous’ Daniel Cormier vs. Brock Lesnar fight ‘doesn’t make any sense’

WICHITA, Kan. – For many years Junior Dos Santos has been opposed to Brock Lesnar getting opportunities in the UFC. So it’s no surprise he’s displeased with the looming scenario in which Lesnar comes back to UFC to challenge heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.

Lesnar (5-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has been pegged a challenger to Cormier’s (22-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC) title since the two had an in-cage confrontation at UFC 226 in July. The matchup has been delayed longer than most expected, though, and with Cormier injured and Lesnar still committed to WWE obligations, there’s no date in sight.

UFC President Dana White said as recently as this past weekend that Lesnar, who hasn’t stepped in the octagon since UFC 200 in July 2016 and doesn’t have an official MMA win since July 2010, was still the fight he was planning for Cormier next.

For a heavyweight contender like Dos Santos (20-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC), who will try to further climb to a title shot of his own in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 4 headliner against Derrick Lewis (21-6 MMA, 12-4 UFC), the state of the title picture is discouraging.

“This thing where Daniel Cormier wants to fight Brock Lesnar; I know he wants to make money, but it doesn’t make any sense,” Dos Santos told MMA Junkie. “The only one who wants to see that fight or make that fight is him. Nobody else wants to see that. Of course Brock Lesnar he’s a very polemic guy so people like to watch him and they pay to watch him, that’s why he wants to fight him. But man, that would be ridiculous to have him back in the sport and have him fighting for the title already.

“It would be kind of disrespect to all of us in the sport and even with the organization. I don’t think that’s the thing to make, but whatever. Politics are politics.”

UFC on ESPN+ 4 takes place at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan. Dos Santos vs. Lewis serves as the main event of the card, which streams on ESPN+.

Although Cormier vs. Lesnar appears to be the next heavyweight title fight, there’s been many past occurrences in which a Lesnar comeback has been on the horizon only for it to be squandered. The former UFC champ is unpredictable, and a comeback could easily be derailed.

That would open the door for someone like Dos Santos to potentially slide in to the title picture. A win over Lewis, who just lost a title fight to Cormier at UFC 230 in November, would push Dos Santos’ winning streak to three, and the Brazilian thinks that resume speaks for itself.

“I will win here and I would be very glad to face Daniel Cormier,” Dos Santos said. “Daniel Cormier is a different champion. He has achieved some amazing things in his career and for me it would be very nice to be facing him. I hope I could be the next one, but I don’t really care. What I really want is to keep myself active. I want to fight as soon as possible after this victory and whatever happens in this career, I know my title shot is coming very soon.”

For more on UFC on ESPN+ 4, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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