Former two division WSOF champion David Branch is looking to keep the momentum going after a first round knockout win over Thiago Santos at UFC Fight Night Atlantic City.
Branch would like to fight Ronaldo Souza next, even if that potential battle has to take place on the moon.
“I’m willing to go anywhere,” Branch told MMA Fighting. “I’d go to the friggin’ moon if I had a passport and a freakin’ space shuttle. That’s what I gotta do, man. We have to do this. It must be done. We have to get this out the way so we don’t have to worry about this anymore.”
Gilberto Faria says a potential fight between Jacare and Branch doesn’t make sense right now for the Brazilian, especially since Branch turned down the opportunity twice before.
“Dave Branch was offered to us twice in 18 months. and ‘Jacare’ agreed both times, but he jumped ship,” Faria said in a separate interview with MMA Fighting. “‘Jacare’ wants to fight someone ranked higher in the middleweight division, like rematches with Yoel Romero or Kelvin Gastelum, or a fight with Chris Weidman. It doesn’t make sense to fight Dave Branch now. ‘Jacare’ is not in a hurry, he will sit down like everyone else does and wait for a bigger fight. ‘Jacare’ has always fought opponents ranked lower than him, and it’s time to face someone ahead of him.”
Despite reportedly turning down other opportunities to face Jacare in the past, a confused Branch cannot understand why Jacare won’t fight him now.
“I won my last one, he lost his last one,” Branch said. “It makes total sense. I’m not trying to play matchmaker — that’s not my job. But as a fighter, that’s the fight that I want. If you ask me who I’d like to call out, that’s the guy I’d like to do it with. He’s a warrior. He’s a fighter, he’s been fighting for a long time.”
There is no word at this time as to whom each fighter will face next, as neither are booked for any UFC events at this time.
