Cody Stamann sees himself as part of the new guard in the UFC bantamweight division. That’s why he believes the promotion’s brass wants to see him go over Bryan Caraway at UFC 222.

Stamann (16-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) said the time of Caraway (21-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC) being a contender at 135 pounds is over, and he intends on washing him out during Saturday’s bout, which streams on UFC Fight Pass prior to the FS1-televised prelims and pay-per-view main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

In Stamann’s mind, Caraway simply isn’t doing the things that fans, media and the UFC, in particular, appreciate out of a fighter in the modern landscape of the sport. He doesn’t discredit his opponent as a skilled fighter, but when it comes to holding an upper-tier spot in the weight class, Stamann said he’s about to do everyone a favor and bounce Caraway from relevance.

“I think Caraway’s a hard guy to put away, but I think he’s also kind of overlooking me,” Stamann told MMAjunkie Radio. “I think he thinks I’m a guy that the UFC is giving him to get back in the race, to where I see it that I’m the guy getting him out. He doesn’t really do that much for the promotion. He doesn’t really promote himself that well. He doesn’t do the things that the UFC wants nowadays out of a guy. He doesn’t talk. He’s not a flashy guy.

“I think the UFC wants to get him out, and I’m the only guy that can do it because I have the wrestling pedigree. No matter what happens Saturday night, I’m either going to catch him on the way in with a hard shot, or I’m just going to beat him up for three rounds and walk away with a decision.”

To Caraway’s credit, he’s done well for himself in the UFC. He’s won four of his past five fights, including back-to-back notable wins over Aljamain Sterling and Eddie Wineland. “Kid Lightning” has been inactive in recent years, though. He didn’t fight in 2017 and fought just once each in 2016 and 2015. Still, Caraway has the No. 11 spot in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA bantamweight rankings.

Stamann said he wants that spot, and much more, for himself. He views Caraway as the perfect opponent to get him there, because in Stamann’s mind, everything Caraway does, he does even better. As a result, he said he’ll control where the fight goes at UFC 222 and impose his will.

“For me, Caraway was like the perfect matchup,” Stamann said. “He’s a wrestler, I’m a wrestler. You can’t find any footage of me on my back because I’m not on my back in fights. I’m not a guy that gets taken down. I think I’m really going to frustrate him. He’s going to have to fight me on my feet and that’s going to be a big change for him, because I don’t think he’s all that good on his feet, unless he’s been working with some magician the last two years on his stand-up.

“I don’t really know what he’s going to bring. He’s been the same fighter pretty much his entire career.”

Despite his impressive record of 16 wins in 17 fights, Stamann was an unknown to most at this time last year. He made his octagon debut at UFC 213 in July, beating Terrion Ware by unanimous decision. His biggest career moment came three months later, when Stamann stunted the hype around French prospect Tom Duquesnoy with a split-decision win at UFC 216.

Stamann more or less views Ware and Duquesnoy as opponents who helped get his feet wet under the UFC banner. He’s getting a big step up, and he said his performance will serve as a breakthrough moment, which will make people realize what he’s truly capable of doing.

“There’s a lot of weapons I really haven’t used in the UFC yet,” Stamann said. “A unique thing to me is I watch film, I study guys religiously, and I find ways to beat them. I fought Duquesnoy and Ware two different ways, in two different styles. I’ll fight Bryan Caraway a whole different way. As much as I’m a fighter, I’m more a competitor. I religiously study people, and I find holes in your game, and I try to exploit them.

“I’m not the guy who is going to get in there and just close his eyes and start chucking haymakers. I’m more a guy that I think I beat my opponent long before I ever get in the cage with him. I study him, I know his tendencies, and I know what he’s going to do before. I know when he’s going to shoot or when he likes to throw what.”

If things go the way Stamann envisions, he’ll find himself ranked in the top 10. He wants to keep an active schedule as he surges up the pecking order, and if he does that, Stamann said it won’t be long before he’s in and out of the sport with all his goals completed.

“Rest is for old people,” Stamann said. “I want to make as much money as I can and get out of this thing at a young age. I don’t want to be one of those guys that’s hanging around until 37, 40 years old. I want to be a guy that gets the job done.”

For more on UFC 222, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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