UFC on Fox 3's Alan Belcher on Rousimar Palhares - "If he beats me, he's going to injure me"

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Alan Belcher doesn't have any false ideas about what he's in for against Rousimar Palhares at UFC on Fox 3 this May. No, Belcher understands that he's going up against a fighter who will injure him if given the opening, as evidenced by Palhares' history of leg locks, knee bars, etc., but it's that potential danger that makes the bout all the more thrilling for him.

"If he beats me, he's going to injure me," Belcher said in an interview with MMAjunkie.com. "So I think it's a little extra nerves going into it about actually damaging your health or something.

"Nobody else is really threatening to you if they can't really hurt you. I don't really get knocked out or submitted or anything like that. This dude rips people's ? you know, tears their knees apart and stuff. I'll have to have surgery or some crap like that, so I like the challenge."

Belcher sees this fight as a chance to put his whole training history into one fight, to try to come out victorious in one piece when faced with an injurious situation.

"It's a challenging match," Belcher said. "I think it's kind of like ... that's what we do this for. That's why we first got into this jiu-jitsu, self-defense-type of stuff ? put yourself in dangerous situations and see if you can survive."

"I'm not trying to fool anybody. I'm not on the same level as Palhares is on the ground. I know my strengths and weaknesses in each fight. I just kind of go from there. I'm not trying to get upset whenever people say my ground game isn't good or isn't as good as his or anything like that."

Ultimately, what matters is picking up another win, and moving himself further up the middleweight ladder on his path to an eventual title shot.

"I just want to win the fight," he said. "And then win another one and just keep going. As long as I keep winning, I know I'm climbing up."

Penick's Analysis: Anyone that steps into the Octagon with Palhares understands the inherent dangers in doing so. He's so adept at latching onto legs and not letting go until the fight is over, and if Belcher finds himself in a position like that, it will be his responsibility to tap or risk injury. However, Belcher is an immensely talented fighter in his own right, and has the power in his hands to end Palhares' night before the fight hits the ground. It's a great fight any way you look at it, and it should make for a fantastic piece of this May 5 event.

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