Chris Daukaus plans to put the heavyweight division on notice with a win against Khalil Roundtree.
On August 12, Daukaus will fight at 205 pounds for the first time since signing with the UFC. The 33-year-old is coming off three consecutive losses at heavyweight and believes the change in divisions could lead to UFC gold.
Daukaus will make his light heavyweight debut against Roundtree at a UFC Fight Night event headlined by Rafael dos Anjos vs. Vicente Luque. They were scheduled to fight in June before Daukaus suffered an injury. With less than a month before his fight, the Philadelphia native discussed various topics during an exclusive MiddleEasy interview.
The former ranked heavyweight was asked what he wanted to accomplish against Roundtree and responded by saying:
“It’s getting the win like you said, obviously, that’s the number one factor. It’s also establishing myself at 205 as a true contender… I shoulda just put the ego in check from day one [in the UFC] and made it to 205. Obviously, you live and you learn. That’s really just it, to solidify myself that I’m a real threat.”
Daukaus made his UFC debut in August 2020, defeating Parker Porter with a first-round knockout. Over the next year, he emerged as a potential heavyweight title contender after winning three more fights inside the distance.
Unfortunately for him, he suffered three consecutive knockout losses and lost momentum at heavyweight, leading to his need for a change.
Chris Daukaus details the differences in his skills since moving to light heavyweight
Most fighters move up a division to prevent a brutal weight cut. Meanwhile, Chris Daukaus is moving down with plans to capitalize on his power advantage while maintaining his speed. During the same interview with MiddleEasy, Daukaus discussed what he’s noticed since starting his training for light heavyweight:
“I think my speed just transfers that much better [at light heavyweight]. If I’m going by the numbers as far as in the weight room, talking to the guys, sparring with the guys, they say that I feel a lot stronger, they say a hit harder a little bit… It’s gonna be more dangerous in the fact that, if you think about it, heavyweights aren’t that keen on kicking just because of the nature of the beast.”
Daukaus has an opportunity to earn a light heavyweight ranking spot with a win against Khalil Roundtree on August 12. On the contrary, Roundtree looks to continue building momentum after winning three consecutive fights and becoming the number thirteen-ranked UFC fighter at 205 pounds.
