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 on ESPN 3 event in Minneapolis, 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 night’s prelim winners.
Maurice Greene
Wants to fight: Andrei Arlovski
The callout: “I’ve learned something in my short tenure in this business: Closed mouths don’t get fed. There’s an old man out there from Chicago, kind of bounces around. I think he goes by Andrei Arlovski. I think we should go ahead and set something up, big homie. From the most humblest spot. You’ve got to beat a vet to really get in there, so 3-0 is 3-0, baby. I’m ready to ride to the top.”
The reality: Maurice Greene (8-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) is still a relative UFC neophyte, but he’s quickly making an impression – a massive man with an equally massive personality. After racking up his third consecutive octagon victory, “The Crochet Boss” made it clear he understands the need to try and carve out your own path in the promotion, excitedly calling out MMA legend and former UFC champ Andrei Arlovski (27-18 MMA, 16-12 UFC).
One could say it was a misstep; after all, Arlovski is currently booked to face Ben Rothwell at July’s UFC on ESPN 4 event. But in truth, it doesn’t really matter if Arlovski wins or loses that contest. Either way, he’d still be the biggest name Greene has ever faced, and on the back side of 40, Arlovski isn’t quite as dangerous of a foe as he once was.
Arlovski has shown he isn’t opposed to taking on the new generation of UFC heavyweights, and stylistically, it seems the pair would probably put on quite the show. For my money, Greene’s idea is a good one.
Next up, let’s check out the main card.
Vinc Pichel
Wants to fight: EA Sports
The callout: “I want to callout EA Sports. Why I ain’t in the UFC video games yet, huh? What’s your problem? I’m about to fight you guys if you don’t put me in that damn game!”
The reality: Vinc Pichel (12-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) is not the first man to express his frustration at not being featured in the UFC’s video game. He is, however, the first man who goes by “From Hell” to do so – and he seemed quite serious about the demand. I don’t know how hard it is to design these digital characters, but I’d recommend adding Pichel as quickly as possible before he realizes that the game is developed at EA Sports’ Canadian division at 4330 Sanderson Way in Burnaby, British Columbia. Hurry.
Demian Maia
Wants to fight: Diego Sanchez
The callout: “I wish I can fight in Sao Paulo in November, Hopefully against Diego Sanchez since he’s been challenging me. It would be a nice fight, and maybe it would be my last one, I don’t know. Maybe if it’s not the next one, then a couple more, but for sure no more fights past 2020.”
The reality: OK, so it’s not exactly a callout, per se, but that’s about the most intense challenge you’re ever going to get from Demian Maia (27-9 MMA, 21-9 UFC), widely regarded as one of the nicest human beings on the planet, much less in MMA.
Maia has been competing in the UFC since 2007, just two years after Diego Sanchez (29-11 MMA, 18-11 UFC) made his official promotional debut as the winner of the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Maia’s Saturday win over Anthony Rocco Martin was the Brazilian jiu-jitsu master’s 30th UFC appearance, and Sanchez will match that mark at Saturday’s UFC 239 card.
Two men that have spent more than a decade each competing at the highest level of the sport? That sounds like a perfect booking. Add in the fact that most people who express concern at Sanchez’s continued participation in the sport are worried about head trauma, and Maia even further stands out as the perfect opponent. Maia actively does his best to avoid even throwing strikes.
Selfishly, I’d like to see Maia compete a few more times. Give him a farewell tour in 2020. But if he is done with his next one, fighting in Brazil makes all the sense in the world, and Sanchez seems like the right opponent for all parties involved.
Joseph Benavidez
Wants to fight: Henry Cejudo
The callout: “They call me ‘Joey Two Times.’ I beat Ortiz two times. I beat Formiga two times. Next, beating Cejudo two times. Ton of respect for that guy. He’s calling out a lot of fights that don’t make sense. He knows I’m the hardest one out there. He knows I’m going to come after him every second. That’s the fight to make. I’ll be waiting when he gets out of his surgery – obviously, good luck with that – but I’ll be here. I’ll be in this division that I started, that I’ve been fighting in and fighting for my whole career. Come back down. Let’s go.”
The reality: Joseph Benavidez (28-5 MMA, 15-3) is one of the best fighters the flyweight division has ever seen, and he’s been fighting nothing but the absolute best competition in the weight class since its inception in 2012 with a four-man tournament in which he took part. Included in that run? A 2016 win over current champ-champ Henry Cejudo (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC).
Benavidez has been a company man along the way, understanding that his two losses to then-champ Demetrious Johnson made a third fight between them rather difficult to book. So Benavidez just kept taking out the next highest ranked contenders, keeping himself at the top of the list – a list that has no one else on it right now.
After undergoing shoulder surgery, Cejudo is likely out for the rest of the year. Benavidez has made it clear that he has no issue waiting. After all, five-and-a-half years after his last shot at the belt, what’s a few more months?
Cejudo has insisted he wants to defend both of his belts, and with likely top bantamweight contender Aljamain Sterling even admitting he’d have no problem stepping aside for Benavidez to get his flyweight shot first, the decision seems clear. Need a big flyweight fight to prove the viability of the division? You’ve got one sitting in front of you right now.
Francis Ngannou
Wants to fight: Winner of Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic
The callout: “I hope the UFC is going to realize that I deserve the title shot right now. I deserve the winner of ‘DC’ and Stipe. … I want the title shot bad. I need some respect. I deserve it.”
The reality:
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