Derek Brunson seems to have a new fire lit inside of him.
Derek Brunson is one of the top middleweights in the world. Prior to his UFC 271 bout, it seemed that Brunson was making a beeline for the title shot. He had won five in a row over the last three years and seemed unstoppable. Unfortunately for him, he was stopped.
Brunson's winning streak hit a wall named Jared Cannonier. Cannonier handed Brunson a loss at UFC 271 by KO in the second round. This loss will most likely put Brunson's title aspirations on hold for a bit, but that hasn't sent Brunson packing yet.
Prior to the UFC 271 bout, Brunson took some time to lay out an optimal plan for the rest of his UFC career. He had called his shot to beat Cannonier, then go on to win the belt and then walk away. At 38 years old, he stated that he wanted to spend some time with his family. Now that the first leg of his plan was squashed, he isn't just going to scrap the rest.
"I'm tired of seeing guys I fight go on to be World Champions & fight for the belt to be the best middleweight on the planet." he wrote. "I've been in the top 10 for over a decade and currently in the top 5. I gotta do better. Not done!."
At the moment, Brunson is ranked fourth in the division and is still a force to be reckoned with. If he plans to continue his quest for a UFC title, he may not be that far off. Perhaps another fight or two within the top five could secure him his spot in line for Adesanya.
Do you think Derek Brunson still has a shot at fighting for a title one day?