Yushin Okami wants a ranked opponent next, but no, he's probably not getting either of the ones he asked for

Yushin Okami did a total Yushin Okami at UFC on FOX 29. Against Dhiego Lima on the Fight Pass prelims it was the same old takedown, top control, suffocating grappling en route to a lopsided decision that we’ve come to expect from the smothering Japanese grappler.

So where does that leave the 36-year-old Okami, who just hit his 45th pro fight in a nearly 16-year career? From the sound of things, it leaves him with a limited amount of time in order to make something happen.

In a post-fight quote circulated by the UFC, Okami acknowledged his age and mileage, while also requesting a big name for his next fight.

“I am older now so I don’t have a lot of time left in the Octagon,” Okami said, according to the UFC. “My goal is to fight ranked guys and get myself in title contention. I think Donald Cerrone would be a good matchup … or Darren Till. As long as it is someone ranked, I do not care who the UFC sends me next.”

First of all, it’s nice to have goals. While it’s hard to see the UFC taking an action fighter like Cerrone or Till and chucking them in there against a guy who’s mainly known for being the complete opposite, you can’t blame Okami for feeling like he needs to make something big happen soon.

Still, a unanimous decision over Lima (12-6 MMA, 1-4 UFC) on the prelims probably doesn’t land you in a big fight against a big name next. That’s especially true if you have an established reputation for putting fans to sleep with your fighting style, which, let’s face it, is pretty much the whole book on Okami (35-11 MMA, 14-6 UFC) at this point.

If he wants a ranked opponent, he might be better off trying to pick on one of his fellow grapplers in that division. There are few enough exciting strikers that the UFC probably isn’t going to sign them up for a takedown fest against Okami if there’s any other alternative.

For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 29, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

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