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 5 event in Newark, N.J., 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.
Lauren Murphy
Wants to fight: Alexis Davis or Roxanne Modafferi
The callout: “Anyone in the top-10 is a good fight, but I have not fought Alexis Davis or Roxanne Modafferi yet. I really respect them both. They’re ranked above me and are longtime veterans of the sport. I’m a respected veteran of this sport and proved I can finish in the top-10. That’s a big deal, and I’d like to test myself against these women that have been around longer than me. They’re proven, gritty and mean fighters. They’d be tough tests for me.”
The reality: Lauren Murphy (11-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) isn’t currently in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA women’s flyweight rankings, but she entered the weekend sitting just on the outside of them, and a win over an impressive opponent like Mara Romero Borella – who was ranked No. 8 – will likely land her back on the list.
Murphy has had some frustrating results against top-tier competition over the years, but the emphatic TKO finish of Borella was clearly important for “Lucky,” who let her emotions flow freely after the result.
Murphy’s callout was of the respectful variety, looking up the list at a pair of ranked opponents who are looking to rebound from recent losses. Davis (19-10 MMA, 6-5 UFC) actually finds herself on a three-fight losing streak and might actually find herself below Murphy when the updated rankings come out. Meanwhile, Modafferi (23-16 MMA, 2-4 UFC) has alternated wins and losses for the past three years and has never turned down a challenge.
As some of the elder stateswomen in the division, a matchup between veterans is always worthwhile.
Matt Schnell
Wants to fight: Deiveson Figueiredo
The callout: “I want Deiveson Figueiredo next. I figure that sets up someone to fight Joseph Benavidez. Henry (Cejudo) is hurt and touring South America with Brazilian supermodels. If he won’t keep this division afloat, somebody’s got to step up, and that’s me. I can finish all these guys.”
The reality: Figueiredo (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) picked up a big win over Alexandre Pantoja just one week ago, and afterward, he called out Joseph Benavidez, saying he wanted his next fight to be for a UFC title, even if it was of the interim variety. MMA Junkie readers didn’t seem to like his chances, with 72 percent of the vote suggesting “there is absolutely no way” that the Brazilian would compete for a belt in his next outing. Perhaps Matt Schnell (14-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) offers a fair alternative?
Schnell is currently riding a four-fight winning streak and has finished back-to-back fights with first-round triangle chokes. He’s also not afraid to speak his mind, with “Danger” constantly stating he’s willing to put the UFC flyweight division on his back if no one else will.
The truth is, outside of the very top spots in the flyweight division, the rankings don’t mean much. UFC president Dana White said he’s interested in keeping the division around, but where are the mass signings needed to keep a weight class moving forward? They haven’t happened yet, and no one seems to know if or when they will.
So in the meantime, let’s just go with fun fights. Schnell vs. Figueiredo has excitement written all over it, and I’m down to make it happen.
Mickey Gall
Wants to fight: Diego Sanchez
The callout: “Everybody knows I wasn’t me the last time. If Diego Sanchez wants to bite off another piece, he can. He wanted to humble me, but I didn’t get the message. Let’s run it back.”
The reality: Gall (6-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and Diego Sanchez (29-12 MMA, 18-12 UFC) met earlier this year at UFC 235, and “The Nightmare” walked away with an absolutely one-sided beatdown of a man 10 years his junior. While he didn’t discuss it right away, Gall later revealed he was battling kidney issues leading into the contest and believes if he was healthy, it would have been an incredibly different story.
Usually, matchups that don’t have championship implications don’t really excite in terms of running it back so soon – unless, of course, there’s some wildly controversial conclusion. That said, I think both Gall and Sanchez can be difficult to book against logical opponents because they are on such opposite ends of the career spectrum.
Every time a Sanchez opponent is announced, it seems people are concerned he’s putting his health on the line to do it, but the UFC Hall of Famer says he intends to carry on, so why not give him a fight you just saw him win convincingly? Gall wants it, and Sanchez still seems to have some real animosity for the youngster, so why not run it back?
Next up, let’s check out the main card.
Scott Holtzman
Wants to fight: Nasrat Haqparast or Jim Miller
The callout: “I’m ready to go again. I belong in the upper echelon of this division. I deserve a top-15 opponent next. I got my eye on some of the winners tonight.”
The reality: In fairness, Holtzman (13-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) had to call his shot a little bit blind, since he was the first lightweight winner on the night. But “Hot Sauce” did bring the goods, earning a hard-fought TKO over a very durable Dong Hyun Ma, once again proving himself as an entertaining member of the UFC’s lightweight roster – and a fighter that currently stands at 4-1 in his past five appearances.
Truthfully, both Nasrat Haqparast (11-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) and Jim Miller (31-13 MMA, 20-12 UFC) offer suitable opponents, though both my fall under the “careful what you wish for” category.
Haqparast, aka “Mini Gastelum,” looks a dangerous prospect that can hit every bit as hard as Holtzman. Meanwhile, Miller has more UFC appearances than anyone in history, and after a long battle with Lyme disease, truly seems to be fighting better than ever.
A win over Miller would mean much more in terms of name recognition, should the old-timer be on board. Perhaps a Madison Square Garden appearance for the New Jersey native? Miller already ticked that one off the career bucket list back in 2016, but perhaps another appearance at famed venue would provide enough appeal to face and up-and-comer like Holtzman.
Colby Covington
Wants to fight: Kamaru Usman
The callout: “Marty Usman, I don’t need to wait until Madison Square Garden. We can do it tonight. Where you at?”
The reality: Look, there is no other fight to make. Colby Covington (15-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) is clearly one of the most hated men in all of MMA, but you can’t deny “Chaos” any longer. He’s a former interim title holder who was stripped of his belt without losing in the octagon, and he delivered against a dangerous veteran in Robbie Lawler, shutting him out on the scorecards.
Kamaru Usman (15-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) is deserving of his current title as undisputed champion, but this is clearly the fight to make. Stylistically, the two provide for an incredibly intriguing matchup. There’s heat between them, and while Covington clearly enjoys playing a role, Usman doesn’t seem to be in on the joke.
Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards have each made claims for the title as well, but it would be criminal not to book Usman vs. Covington. Masvidal vs. Edwards as a co-main event (and a fight that could provide a replacement opponent for the headliner if needed) seems all to easy a booking, though “Gamebred” would seem to be the one to convince there.
First things first – get Usman vs. Covington announced.
(For what it’s worth, I tried via text to get UFC president Dana White to do what he hates to do on fight night and officially announce what’s next, but he did not respond.)
