Photo courtesy of Raposo's Facebook page.
Mitch Raposo discusses upcoming title fight at Cage Titans 40 and possibly fighting on the Contender Series next summer
At Cage Titans 40 on August 18, Mitch Raposo will step into the cage to defend his amateur flyweight title. He knew he was fighting on this date for quite some time as he told me before his last fight in April that was his time table. However, it turned out to be difficult to find the 19-year-old an opponent. He had several fighters turn the fight down for unknown reasons, which made Raposo rather frustrated.
“I was frustrated because I want to get the show on the road.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmGn8GSgNhF/?hl=en&taken-by=mitchraposo_
The Regiment Training Center product was initially slated to face a flyweight champion from another organization but it fell through, then he was supposed to face a former Cage Titans flyweight champion and then a former top contender in the Cage Titans flyweight division. It got to the point where Raposo put his name in the bantamweight division.
“I even put my name in at 135, I weight 135 and I put my name in at 135. I would’ve fought anyone at 135 and I still couldn’t get fights.”
In the end, Raposo did get a fight and it’s a rematch against William Graustuck who he defeated at Cage Titans 37 by unanimous decision. It was a clear decision, but it wasn’t a win Raposo is happy with and he is thrilled that the rematch is happening.
“I would’ve fought this kid on 24 hours-notice. That fight aggravated me so bad because I didn’t pull the trigger, I was thinking way too much about what he was going to do.”
Now Raposo is relaxed and only concerned with what he can control.
“The biggest thing now (is) I don’t care about that. I just go in there and have fun. I know whatever I’m going to do is going to work, that’s just the confidence I have going into my fight.”
In the first fight, Raposo won with his wrestling and control, but didn’t land many significant shots. For that reason, Raposo believes Graustuck took the fight and will have false confidence heading into it.
“I wasn’t surprised he stepped up, I didn’t do nothing in the fight, obviously he has false confidence, he just thinks he’s going to stop the takedown or whatever. But it’s going to be a completely different animal, I’m so excited to show people what should’ve happened that night. People are going to see it, it’s going to be a good night.”
Raposo believes he has the tools to succeed where ever the fight goes and he sees his first finish coming in this fight.
“I’m the most well-rounded amateur around here.”
“I literally can do whatever I want it doesn’t matter. If the fight sticks to the feet, if it’s on the ground, I’m literally dangerous everywhere, so if the takedown happens, I’m going to take him down, mount him and finish him.”
At 19, Raposo is very young especially for the success and hype he has. FloCombat compared him to Georges St-Pierre after his last performance and he is constantly called a phenom by the people who commentate his fights.
But he is not the only young fighter to get such great praise recently. Chase Hooper and Mayce Barber who are both still teens fought on the Contender Series. Hooper received a developmental contract and Barber received a UFC contract. Fellow teenager Erin Blanchfield just picked up her second professional win and her first as a fighter for Invicta FC.
Raposo is inspired by his fellow fighters, but he feels he is also better and that his time is coming soon.
“Seeing those people, it motivates me.”
“I’m telling you right now, I’m 19, if I do go pro after this one or one after, I rack up a couple of pro wins, don’t be surprised if you see me on the Contender Series next summer.”
“I’m just as good if not better than them, so I know I’m going to be where they’re at.”
One of the many reasons Raposo has been able to have this amount of success is because he has the support of his family. He decided not to attend college and instead pursue the dream he has had since he was 12 years old, distraction free.
“I have so many training partners who are just as good as I am, just as talented as I am. But they have a lot of things in the way, they have to pay bills, they have girlfriends, I don’t have that, I don’t have those distractions. I’m one hundred percent focused on what I want to do with my life, what I wanted to do since I was a little kid.”
You can watch Raposo defend his amateur flyweight title against William Graustuck on August 18 at Cage Titans 40. It is being broadcast live on FloCombat.
