‘King Without a Crown’ Emmanuel Sanchez Eager to Defeat Another UFC Vet at Bellator 198

Shortly after Emmanuel Sanchez dispatched former featherweight champion Daniel Straus with a triangle choke last October, he had an eye-opening conversation with a key Bellator official.

“Even the matchmaker Rich Chou said, ‘I’ve never seen Straus get dominated like that before.’That’s someone who’s gone to wars with [Patricio Freire, with [Pat] Curran. He hasn’t lost to anyone else but us three now in Bellator,” Sanchez told Sherdog.com. “It’s really great that I got to go out and showcase that I am capable of this. More of that is coming.”

It was an impressive addition to a resume that continues to grow by the year. Sanchez has been victorious in eight of 10 Bellator appearances, with his only defeats coming to former champion Pat Curran and current No. 1 contender Daniel Weichel. But the Straus victory was especially significant, not only because of his opponent’s status, but because it was Sanchez’s first finish within the California-based promotion.

“That’s really been a long time coming,” Sanchez said. “I think a lot of people [are like], decisions, decisions and that’s all I can do. Really, when you watch my fights, I’m always looking to knock someone out, I’m always looking to submit them…..I believe it’s a matter of patience and experience. I’m very glad I got to do it on the last man to hold the title and a former two-time champion. It’s great that I got to put out someone of that caliber.”

Sanchez will attempt to build on that momentum when he faces 12-time UFC veteran and “Ultimate Fighter 15” cast member Sam Sicilia in the Bellator 198 co-main event on Saturday at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. The card, which is headlined by a heavyweight tilt between Fedor Emelianenko and Frank Mir, will be televised on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

Sicila will be the third opponent with Octagon experience that Sanchez has faced in Bellator, as “El Matador” already boasts victories against Justin Lawrence and Daniel Pineda. Sanchez isn’t afraid to admit that beating a UFC veteran holds added meaning.

“It’s a big notch underneath my belt. That’s one of the reason why I like big fights like this,” Sanchez said. “When he was in the ‘Ultimate Fighter’ and he was in the UFC, I was still working a full-time job. I probably had three or four professional fight to my name. Now I’ve made a name for myself…and I’m a Bellator mainstay. It goes to show, it doesn’t matter what you did in the UFC or Bellator, records or rankings, no one of that matters. All that matters is when the cage door closes.”

Sanchez’s body of work rivals most anyone in the Bellator featherweight division, but even if he thinks he’s deserving, he won’t be the guy that sits on the sidelines to wait for an eventual title shot. Right now, it’s all about performing.

“I’m on these posters, I’m on these big cards, I’ve got to show the world what I can do,” he said. “I want to prove that I’m ready for the title….right now, I’m the king without a crown. If I’m gonna say that, I’ve got to go out and prove that.”