Bellator 275 - 3Arena
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Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi doesn’t want to hear from the doubters on his supremacy over his division.

While he admits he fights in a more shallow talent pool, he still feels like there’s no other 185-pound fighters on his level in the world – and that includes UFC champ Israel Adesanya and ex-champ Robert Whittaker.

“Listen, he or Whittaker, their standup styles are perfect for me,” Mousasi laughed when asked about a potential UFC/Bellator showdown on The MMA Hour. “I will defeat them. Who are these potato fans that think I can lose? F*ckers. No respect.”

Mousasi might not be at the top of the heap on internet ranking committees, but he’s riding high after stopping title challenger Austin Vanderford inside one round at Bellator 275. Vanderford marked the second defense of the title he captured in a fight against Douglas Lima, and the 31-year-old fighter was undefeated until the event this past Friday.

“Listen, I’m not talking about the Mousasi of one year ago, I’m not talking about the Mousasi of five years ago,” Mousasi continued. “I’m talking about the Mousasi you saw Friday that was 85 seconds. And I’m going to be the best middleweight, and I did it in 85 seconds. What else do that want? From now on, everyone is going to get finished. Everybody.”

With five fights remaining on his current Bellator contract, Mousasi plans on capturing as much gold – literal and otherwise – as possible before hanging up his gloves to start a family.

A boxing match with Anderson Silva appears to have fizzled out of the gate, but Mousasi has designs on other prizes in the sport, such as the light heavyweight and, potentially, the heavyweight title.

“I think if I finish the contract, I do one boxing fight, I don’t know what the point is to go more,” Mousasi said. “I’ve done it all. I think five more fights I can win. I’m not going to do more than that.”

Mousasi is a seasoned veteran at 205 pounds and has fought as high as heavyweight, once taking on the now-retired Gary Goodridge overseas. Bellator’s current champ Vadim Nemkov is expected to defend his belt and resolve the promotion’s light heavyweight grand prix against finalist Corey Anderson, who could be the champ’s biggest test.

By the end of the year, Mousasi said he’ll have defended his middleweight belt and captured the light-heavy title to boot. And from there, he just might make the big leap.

“If I win the light heavyweight belt, maybe it’s nice also to fight for the heavyweight belt,” Mousasi said. “But that’s just dreaming. Let me win the light heavyweight belt first.”