Dennis Bermudez On Conor McGregor’s Rise: I Didn’t Get Into Fighting To Have A WWE Performance

No. 11-ranked UFC featherweight Dennis Bermudez lost his UFC debut to Diego Brandao at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 Finale, but that stinging defeat must have left an incredibly bad taste in his mouth.

Since then, the surging “Menace” has reeled off six consecutive victories inside the Octagon, his most recent being a third round TKO over Jimmy Hettes at UFC 171 on March 15.

But Bermudez isn’t exactly making waves despite his impressive streak. That could all change if he gets by No. 8-ranked longtime veteran Clay Guida at this Saturday’s (July 19, 2014) UFC on FOX 12 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. Bermudez knows he needs to keep winning, which is the sole reason he got into fighting. But he told Submission Radio that he also knows he could take a page out of Irish featherweight Conor McGregor’s book on self promotion:

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“I really don’t care what he’s doing. He can run his mouth all he wants, and I actually, my hat slightly goes off to him to be able to create the buzz that he’s created around himself. I’m almost slightly jealous, you know. I’m on a six- fight win streak and no one’s talking about me and this guy has two fights in the UFC and hundreds of thousands of followers you know, just because he talks a crazy game, but that’s not why I got into fighting. I didn’t get into fighting to, you know have a WWE performance, I got into fighting to beat people up and really show my dominance”

Some interesting points from Bermudez, who should, by all logical accounts, be quite a bit higher up the rankings than “Notorious.” Unfortunately, however, Bermudez doesn’t bring the entire Irish Nation with him, and that’s prime bargaining tool for McGregor.

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Regardless, Bermudez will have officially arrived if he can finish off the tough-as-nails Guida this weekend. If he does, “Menace” claims he’ll be calling out for a title shot:

“In my head I plan to totally crush Clay Guida, whether I submit him or knock him out, I would like to scream for a title shot. I think I deserve it, you know 7 wins in a row, knocking off a top 10 opponent by stoppage I think puts me out there definitely for a title shot. But if I just squeak by him I’ll let the UFC do their job and just match me up with whoever they want me.”

Earning a finish over Guida would no doubt be his biggest win to date, but in a stacked division full of top-ranked contenders like Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, and Cub Swanson, it’s simply going to be next to impossible to leapfrog talent like that and get the next title shot.

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That means Bermudez may have a long road ahead of him even if he does win at UFC on FOX 12, but that’s alright with him. The experienced wrestler is used to the grind, and he’s going to earn everything he gets in the UFC.

Will his rise to fame start with “The Carpenter” This Saturday night?

Photo: Joshua Lindsey for USA TODAY Sports