Earning wins in the UFC is certainly no easy task, but what comes next is often even more important: the post-fight callout.
So after Saturday’s UFC 249 event in Jacksonville, who took advantage of their time on the mic? See below for this week’s Callout Collection – and just how realistic each one is.
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First up, let’s take a look at the heaviest hitter on the card …
Francis Ngannou
Wants to fight: For the UFC heavyweight title
The callout: “You know, that’s very frustrating. Where do I feel like a fit? I don’t know. I was expecting this fight to be for the title – after JDS (Junior Dos Santos) I expected to fight for the title, but it didn’t happen. Then we asked the UFC for the interim title fight on this fight and they didn’t make it. To be honest I don’t know exactly where the division is right now. So I’m just here. Let’s see, fight on, fight out my contract, see how it goes.”
The reality: While not a direct call for a title fight, Francis Ngannou’s post-fight interview at UFC 247 certainly said plenty to suggest that he’s both frustrated and impatient at the lack of movement above him in the heavyweight rankings.
Ngannou’s performances have been undeniable, and he clearly deserves another shot at the belt, but equally undeniable is the need for defending champion Stipe Miocic and former champ Daniel Cormier to complete their trilogy.
It’s a tricky spot for the UFC, with Miocic and Cormier unlikely to fight until the summer. But with Ngannou seemingly hinting that he’s prepared to fight out his contract, the UFC may need to make some moves to make sure “The Predator” is happy while he waits for Stipe and “DC” to finish their business.
Next up, the newly-crowned interim champ targets the undisputed crown:
Justin Gaethje
Wants to fight: Khabib Nurmagomedov
The callout: “Khabib is the best in the world. I’ve been working since I was four for challenges like this, and I’m happy to represent the United State of the America against Dagestan, or Russia’s, best. He’s 28-0 and there’s no other challenge I want right now. I want to fight him.”
The reality: This one is a formality. After his career-defining (so far) performance to defeat Tony Ferguson at UFC 249, Justin Gaethje is now the clear No. 1 contender for Nurmagomedov’s 155-pound title. He might just be the biggest danger to “The Eagle’s” reign, too.
Gaethje’s respectful, but clear, callout was less a bid to get a fight, and more a case of stating the obvious. He wants to fight Khabib, and after that performance on Saturday night in Jacksonville, I suspect the rest of the world wants to see it, too. It’s the only fight to make and, with Khabib suggesting he’ll be ready to return by the summer, it looks like it’s a fight we’re likely to see pretty soon.
