Ariel Sexton claims to be an elite lightweight despite being unranked: "I think I should be in the top five"

Ariel Sexton will make his eagerly awaited return when he takes on Marat Gafurov at ONE 159 in Singapore on July 22.

The BJJ specialist was a worthy contender in the lightweight division as he racked up consecutive submission victories before being forced to endure a two-year spell on the sidelines due to injury.

It was a heartbreaking turn of events for the grappling wizard, who was forced to withdraw from the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix.

Competing against the former ONE Featherweight World Champion on friday, 'Tarzan' will be seeking to re-establish himself as a legitimate contender for the Lightweight crown.

Speaking during the online media interviews ahead of his bout, 'Tarzan' said:

"I think I should be in the top five since I started here. You know, I've been here for the last eight or nine years or so. And yes, I've had a couple of decision losses. But I feel like I'm one of the veterans, and I'm one of the best fighters in the world. And I rather you guys sleep on me and don't have me ranked. And then you know, I just come and put people to sleep. That's the game."

The two-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu national champion is now 40 years old. He has little time to waste in his quest for a world title, and he's willing to fight anyone to achieve his goal.

Ariel Sexton would welcome Christian Lee fight

Former lightweight world champion Christian Lee will be looking to regain the title from Ok Rae Yoon at ONE 160 in August and Sexton was asked if he'd be interested in a bout with 'The Warrior.' The 24-year-old's willingness to engage on the ground is certainly something that appeals to 'Tarzan.'

Speaking about his upcoming bout against Marat Gafurov, Ariel added:

"Yeah, I mean, I'm excited because I don't get to fight too many guys that want to stay on the ground. That's why I'm very excited about my opponent coming up because he's a ground fighter. So we're going to see who's better on the ground," explained Sexton.

MMA fans love a comeback story, and if the veteran can return to his winning ways in style on Friday, he could be a fascinating addition to the top-five and a dangerous match-up for anyone.