Gegard Mousasi has a lot to say about the state of the UFC’s middleweight division

Currently scheduled to challenge former champion Vitor Belfort at UFC 204, longtime mixed martial arts veteran Gegard Mousasi finds himself in a strange scenario where even a win over such a big name doesn’t push him into title contention just yet.

Instead, promotion officials have essentially put together a middleweight tournament as Chris Weidman challenges Yoel Romero at UFC 205 and Luke Rockhold rematches Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza. On paper this matchmaking makes sense, but according to Mousasi his bosses have an ulterior motive.

“I feel they got matched up that way just to be sure that an American guy wins and goes for the title,” Mousasi to FloCombat. “I feel Yoel Romero or Jacare should have fought for the title a long time ago but they don’t speak English so well. They’re a little more hesitant to give them a title shot. If you speak American, it’s better, people understand what you say, they connect to you so it’s business. Like Conor McGregor fighting for the other title.

“I don’t think he deserved that one. He lost one in that division and the other win was average. They earned their way, Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman, they earned to fight for the belt, that’s elimination fights there so they deserve it but I feel like there is a difference between who will get it first.”

Against Belfort, Mousasi (39-6-2), a former Strikeforce, Cage Warriors and Dream champion, will be looking to to pick up his third straight victory and fifth in his last six contests. “The Dreamcatcher” was last seen torching Thiago Santos in the first round of their UFC 200 fight earlier in the year. He will enter the bout with an outstanding 31 career stoppage victories, including 19 by way of knockout, and a UFC record of 6-3.

Belfort (25-12), also a former UFC light heavyweight champion, is in desperate need of win after suffering a first round TKO to Souza at UFC 198 in May.

UFC 204 will go down at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. In the night’s main event, middleweight champion Michael Bisping will put his title on the line against former foe Dan Henderson. Mousasi vs. Belfort will serve as the co-main event.