Ryan ‘Darth’ Bader: ‘I Have Something To Prove To Myself, The UFC And To The Fans’

UFC light heavyweight Ryan Bader will fight this weekend at UFC 192, in Houston, TX. He’ll be taking on former champ Rashad Evans, who hasn’t fought in nearly two full years. Still, Evans is no doubt dangerous and will be a major challenge for the Bader, who says he’s got a lot to prove with this fight.

Bader recently talked to FOX Sports about what winning this fight means to him and said that he feels like he has a lot to prove to not only himself, but to the UFC and to the fans as well. He wants to show everyone that he really belongs amongst the top of the division.

Here’s what he had to say:

“I have something to prove. Especially with Rashad and Cormier. I have something to prove to myself, to the UFC and the fans that I deserve to be at the very top. That I deserve to be there fighting for the belt.”

A little while back, before it was announced that Alexander Gustafsson would be challenging Daniel Cormier for his light heavyweight belt, Bader was pushing for a shot and it seemed like he had a decent chance of getting it, especially after his heated confrontation with Cormier at a post fight press conference.

However, the UFC somehow managed to fit Gustafsson in as the challenger, despite him losing his previous fight, a TKO loss to Anthony Johnson.

Do you think Bader comes away with the victory this weekend?