Bellator bantamweight contender Danny Sabatello admits the sting of his defeat to Raufeon Stots still hasn’t subsided, and seeing his nemesis around the fighter hotel during fight week is only riling him up further.
Sabatello returns to action against Brazil’s Marcos Breno this weekend in Hawaii at Bellator 294, which takes place Friday night at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu.
And, while he is fully prepped and ready for the task in hand, the sight of his bantamweight rival has him all riled up ahead of fight night in Hawaii.
“I have seen him this fight week. It’s not ideal,” he admitted.
“The hate is very real between us. This is a rivalry that will never be fine. It’s a lifelong hatred.
“I have run into him [this week], but not face-to-face. He’s insecure. He knew I won the fight. But, I do have my eyes on Marcos Breno. First things first, I take care of Marcos Breno.”
Sabatello desperately wants to run back that fight with Stots, but knows that only a big win over Breno will give him that opportunity. But, despite suffering that loss, Sabatello’s confidence remains bulletproof, and his belief in his ability to defeat Stots is still very much intact.
“On paper, I lost that fight, in the back of my mind, I won that fight,” he said.
“I don’t look at this as a bounce-back or a must-see or to re-establish myself to the fans. Everybody knows I’m the best guy in the bantamweight division.
“This is what I do. I get in there and drown him with takedowns, break him, and break his face. I love fucking fighting. I can’t wait to go out there and put on a show for the Hawaiian fans and finish this guy.”
The Breno fight is an opportunity for Sabatello to deliver a statement performance and put himself right back in the title picture again, he’s focused on doing just that, regardless of whoever’s standing across the cage from him on fight night.
“It f*****g sucks. It still burns, to be honest. I’m still not over it, and I won’t be until I get that back against Stots,” he admitted.
“I’ve got to put one foot in front of another and that’s what I’ll do against Marcos Breno. He’s got a lot of potential, he’s dangerous and can put people out, but I’m gonna beat the f**k out of Marcos Breno.”
“Everything’s the same, no matter who I fight, I’m gonna give it my all. This is a game where if you’re out of place for just a second, you get put out. With this Breno fight, I take it just as seriously as I did Stots. I don’t like this guy. He hasn’t been talking any trash, and I wanted to get in his head, but he doesn’t have any English.
“Any time you fight Danny Sabatello, the lights are bright; it’s a different type of pressure. I think I can take advantage of him and get in his head, then break his face in the fight.”