UFC 277's Rafael Alves: Rafael Fiziev not the best Rafael until he beats me

DALLAS – Rafael Alves thinks he’s the best Rafael in the UFC.

Rafael Fiziev knocked out former lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of UFC on ESPN 39 earlier this month in what he dubbed the battle of Rafaels, but Alves (20-10 MMA, 1-1 UFC) wants in the mix.

He faces Drew Dober (24-11 MMA, 10-7 UFC) on Saturday at UFC 277, which takes place at American Airlines Center. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

“After this fight, we’re gonna be victorious, I plan on challenging Rafael Fiziev, because he said he’s the best Rafael,” Alves told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Wednesday’s media day through an interpreter. “And you know what? There are three Rafaels there, and I am the best Rafael. So if he accepts this, and I fight him, you can rest assured he’s gonna fall to me, because I’m the best Rafael in this business.”

Alves has numerous submission wins to his name, including his first octagon win against Marc Diakiese last November. But when he squares off against power-punching Dober, he sees it as a battle of strikers.

“It’s got all the potential for fireworks,” Alves said. “A lot of people think wrongfully that I’m a jiu-jitsu guy, but ever since I was 7 years old, I was muay Thai. I’m a striker, and it has all the potential to actually be just basically this brawl, this all-out battle. But you know, I don’t think it’s gonna go past the first round, and it’s gonna be like my last fight.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 277.