'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos faced a stiff challenge when he stepped inside the Octagon tonight at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
RDA had to deal with late-replacement Paul Felder instead of initial opponent Islam Makhachev who had to pull out of the UFC Vegas 14 headliner due to a staph infection.
It is no secret that Felder and Makhachev are different kinds of fighters, and it must have been very difficult for Rafael dos Anjos to adjust to a new opponent just a week ahead of the fight.
However, the true warrior that he is, Rafael dos Anjos was unfazed at the prospect of having to deal with a completely different stylistic challenge and claims that he fought at UFC Vegas 14 because he didn't want the card to be canceled and other fighters to get affected.
Rafael dos Anjos fought Paul Felder on short notice for his fellow fighters
Rafael dos Anjos said that he went to Brazil and trained there for two months for the event. He said that he needed to fight today since his last fight was in January.
RDA also revealed that had the main event of UFC Vegas 14 been canceled, the promotion would probably have called off the event altogether.
However, what made Rafael dos Anjos take the fight against Felder on such short notice was the fact that he felt that it would be unfair on his fellow fighters if the whole event got canceled because he didn't choose to fight a late replacement.
At the post fight press conference, RDA said that he took the fight because if he didn't, none of the fighters who competed on today's card would get paid.
Rafael dos Anjos put up an impressive show to get past Paul Felder via split decision in the main event of UFC Vegas 14. Following the fight, the Brazilian called out former two-division champion Conor McGregor.
