UFC news: Rafael dos Anjos to move up to welterweight; Robbie Lawler to fight Donald Cerrone on return

After suffering back-to-back losses against Tony Ferguson and Eddie Alvarez, which saw him lose his UFC lightweight championship, Rafael dos Anjos is set to move up to the welterweight division. The Brazilian mixed martial artist is set to make his debut in the UFC welterweight division against Tarec Saffiedine on June 17 at UFC Fight Night 111.

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One of the main reasons Dos Anjos decided to move up to welterweight was because the weight cut he had to do throughout his time in the lightweight division was too much. He said in a recent interview that he passed out multiple times before his fight against Alvarez.

"My body changed between 2014 and 2015. I fought five times in 11 months, during that run for the title. I don't see anyone doing this. I see Cerrone doing this, but I don't see other doing this. I walk around with 187, 198 pounds, easy, and to cut this weight five times in 11 months was too much," MMA fighting quoted Dos Anjos as saying.

"I eat well, but after that I felt that my body got bigger. I was holding the weight more. It was tough to make weight against Cerrone, and I passed out three times making weight for the Eddie Alvarez fight. One day you get to the limit."

The former UFC lightweight champion will be looking to get his UFC career back on track when he takes on ex-Strikeforce titleholder Saffiedine. This could be the perfect opportunity for Dos Anjos to move up the rankings and get a shot at the welterweight title as Saffiedine has lost the last three of his five fights in the UFC.

While we are on the topic of the welterweight division, former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler is set to make his much-anticipated return to the octagon at UFC 213 in July. Lawler is set to take on Donald Cerrone in his return fight since he got knocked out and lost his title to Tyron Woodley at UFC 201.

Lawler and Cerrone were initially scheduled to fight last year at UFC 205 in New York but Lawler decided to take some more time off after his devastating loss to Woodley. It will be almost a year since Lawler stepped inside the octagon and he will be determined to get off to a winning start and regain his welterweight title.