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 UFC on ESPN+ 18 event in Copenhagen, Denmark, 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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Nicolas Dalby
Wants to fight: Mike Perry
The callout: “I’d like to fight in December in Vegas. Mike Perry could be a very fun fight for me to take, I feel. I hope he feels the same way. Let’s see what opportunities there are, but I think that could be a fun scrap.”
The reality: Nicolas Dalby (18-3-1 MMA, 2-3-1 UFC) was certainly the center one of the most memorable storylines going into Saturday’s card, and his gutsy performance in a victory over Alex Oliveira was admirable. Dalby showed great promise heading into his first UFC run, but things didn’t go his way, and he had to return to the regional scene to earn his way back. Doing so certainly proved his heart, and in Perry (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC), he’s calling out someone with equal fortitude.
While Perry’s starpower is certainly on a different level than Dalby, “Platinum” has suffered through a difficult 2-4 stretch, and he’s not exactly in a position to be issuing challenges. Accepting someone else’s call might just be the best approach.
Perry is always looking for a good scrap. Perhaps fighting a man who was part of an infamous no contest in which the fight was waved off because blood made the fighting surface too slippery would be right up his alley.
Ion Cutelaba
Wants to fight: Ovince Saint Preux
The callout: “I want to fight Saint Preux next. He wouldn’t take my fight here, but I’d like to fight him in 2019.”
The reality: How do you not like watching Ion Cutelaba (15-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) fight? Aggression, swagger, brutality. With or without the green paint, he’s “The Hulk.” After his win over Khalil Rountree, Cutelaba’s challenge was simple and direct: He wants to fight Ovince Saint Preux (24-13 MMA, 12-8 UFC), and he wants to do it before year’s end.
Saint Preux is certainly the more accomplished of the two, even working his way to a title shot early in his UFC run. But while he was long a fixture in the 205-pound rankings, he’s since slipped out of the top-15 and is now accepting fights against a different level of opponents. If the timing works, why not? Let’s check out Cutelaba’s Von Preux choke defense.
Gilbert Burns
Wants to fight: Neil Magny
The callout: “I’m glad I made the move to welterweight. I would love to face Neil Magny. He’s No. 15 on the ranking. I think a fight against Magny would be great.”
The reality: Magny (21-7 MMA, 14-6 UFC) is no stranger to being called out. He’s also not exactly eligible to fight right now, admitting earlier this year that a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency test had forced him to the sidelines.
Gilbert Burns can be excused for not realizing that Magny is currently dealing with that failed test. After all, no one really thinks Magny was cheating, right? Right?!?
Burns is new to the welterweight division, but he’s scored two quality wins, downing Gunnar Nelson on Saturday night after defeating Aleksei Kunchenko earlier this year. He deserves another veteran, and Magny fits that bill. If he can get his USADA situation figured out, why not?
