LAS VEGAS – Abel Trujillo is hoping 2016 kicks off a lot better than the way 2015 ended.

In Saturday’s UFC 195 pay-per-view opener at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, Trujillo (12-7 MMA, 3-3 UFC) takes on fellow lightweight striker Tony Sims (12-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC). It’s a quick turnaround for Trujillo, whose November bout with Gleison Tibau ended in controversy.

After a clearly premature stoppage, Trujillo was handed the controversial submission loss. While Tibau’s failed drug tests halted Trujillo’s plans for an appeal – he thinks the result will now be overturned anyway – he still has an issue with the bout’s referee, Keith Peterson.

“I had problems with that ref before,” he said. “(During) the Khabib (Nurmagomedov) fight (in 2013), him and my coach had words after the fight, saying like the fight should have been stood up a few times. I think the ref took it personally, and even before the Gleison fight, his whole vibe was off – his whole aura was off. He really wasn’t feeling me.

“So he definitely won’t be reffing another one of my fights because I think he has something personal against me. But that’s not my problem, you know?”

Check out the full conversation, including his thoughts on Sims and why he wanted the quick turnaround, above.

And for more on UFC 195, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.