INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Leandro Higo snapped a two-fight losing streak on Saturday, and already he has two opponents in mind for his next fight.
Higo submitted Shawn Bunch via guillotine choke in the second round at Bellator 228, and he wants James Gallagher or Erik Perez next.
Speaking to MMA Junkie and other reporters, with the help of his coach Eric Albarracin’s translation, Higo sported a luchador mask backstage at The Forum in reference to the recently signed Perez.
“The reason for this mask is because I want to fight the best,” Higo said. “Coming out of my shell, and I want James Gallagher, and the true reason (for the mask) is Erik Perez.”
“And what he said on the camera, was he put the mask on, and he said this is my house. Erik Perez, let’s go,” Albarracin translated.
But who would he rather fight? Higo alluded to Perez but went back to saying that he’d also like to fight Gallagher, who was victorious one night earlier at Bellator Europe 4 in Dublin. Gallagher submitted UFC veteran Roman Salazar, also via guillotine choke, in just 35 seconds in the main event.
But Higo says he’s the better submission artist and has the better guillotine choke.
“Maybe Perez is favorite fight right now,” Higo said. “Perez is a big guy, and I need to fight James Gallagher in Dublin. I have the best jiu-jitsu, not James Gallagher. I’ll finish him by submission, and Erik Perez is coming to my house, and I want him too.”
“James Gallagher got the same move as me, but my guillotine is much tighter,” Higo added. “Nobody can get out of it. If I grab his neck, James Gallagher is not getting out.”
Higo (19-5 MMA, 2-3 BMMA) had a rough start to his Bellator career, losing three of his first four. After a year-long layoff to nurse some injuries, he was able to come back emphatically to notch the finish.
And it felt good to be back for “The Pitbull”
“It was great,” Higo said. “It’s been about a year since I’ve fought, so I didn’t have my rhythm back yet, but to fight a guy, a world team member, a national champ from wrestling, Shawn Bunch, it was great to submit him.”
Since joining Bellator, Higo has competed only against high level competition, including a loss to then-bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell.
And he plans on keeping things the same way in pursuit of the title.
“Because I want to beat the best,” Higo said. “Since Day 1 I’ve got here, I’ve fought the best, and I don’t want to veer away from fighting the best. I’m here to beat the best and anybody in my path on the way to the top.”
