Ildemar Alcantara Wins at Light Heavyweight but Headed to Welterweight

Ildemar Alcantara wasn’t planning on competing this past weekend at UFC on FX 7: Belfort vs. Bisping until two weeks before the event and he certainly wasn’t planning to fight at light heavyweight. Now, after collecting his Submission of the Night check for his kneebar win over Wagner Prado in his Octagon debut, Alcantara  is saying that 205 pounds is not his natural weight-class and, in fact, 185 pounds isn’t where he wants to fight either. According to Alcantara, he’s actually aiming to enter the cage as a welterweight in his next outing.

Alcantara told MMAJunkie:

“I actually want to fight the best, and that’s why I’m here. But I intend to fight in the 170-pound class. … I intend to do the next fight at 170.”

“When I walked in, I felt those jitters. I’m at the UFC. I got very happy to be in the UFC, and I’m even happier that I made bonus money. I never thought that in my debut, it wouldn’t only be my right foot forward – it was both feet forward, so I’m really, really happy. I’ve lost my words, but I really say thank you.”