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+ 10 event in Rochester, N.Y., 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.
Ed Herman
Wants to fight: EA Sports
The callout: “Hey, can I get on the damn video game? I’ve been in the UFC for 13 years. I’m not on one video game. Come on, now. That’s all I want, so my son can play me on the damn game. Come on, baby.”
The reality: After a wild win over Patrick Cummins on the prelims of UFC on ESPN+ 10, Ed Herman (24-14 MMA, 11-11 UFC) made it clear he wants to be in the official UFC video game, even adding the caveat that it’s not just for him to fill some ego need, but because he wants his son to be able to use his dad as a character in the game.
Granted, “Short Fuse” might not be the most in-demand character in the game, but as he said, the man has been on the roster since “The Ultimate Fighter 3,” way back in 2006 – the same season that Michael Bisping won to launch his now-UFC Hall of Fame career. Surely that type of longevity is enough to get this man rendered in digital form? Maybe just a slight tweak of the C.B. Dollaway model or something? Just saying.
Grant Dawson
Wants to fight: Shane Young
The callout: “Shane Young – that fight still intrigues me. He’s super exciting. I’m super exciting. I think that’s bonus money written all over it. I’m down for that fight.”
The reality: Two fights into his UFC career, Grant Dawson (14-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has two UFC wins under his belt and is looking like quite the featherweight prospect, notching a “Performance of the Night” bonus while becoming the first man to defeat Mike Trizano.
After his debut back in March, Dawson asked for a fight with New Zealand’s Young, (13-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who has also shown a penchant for exciting fights, including one “Fight of the Night” bonus already to his name. On Saturday night, Dawson relayed that sentiment once again.
Honestly, who doesn’t love a respectful callout, especially when it’s one that appears motivated by an opportunity to put on the type of fight that fans enjoy most? That seems to be Dawson’s driving interest. He went on to mention he’d like a quick turnaround, fighting perhaps as soon as August. But maybe a trip to Australia in October could be in the cards, which certainly would have to tempt Young into action, especially if the UFC does end up going for a stadium show to host the Robert Whittaker vs. Israel Adesanya unification fight.
If that date makes sense for both guys, I say pull the trigger on matching up these two young guns.
Desmond Green
Wants to fight: “Someone who will get me closer to that title”
The callout: “I’m not going to call out any names. I just want someone who will get me closer to that title. Whoever is ranked higher than me, so I can climb that ladder.”
The reality:
Next up, let’s check out the main card.
Davi Ramos
Wants to fight: Khabib Nurmagomedov
The callout: “I’m here to fight against anyone. The only fight I want is Khabib, but I have a lot to prove. I’m coming. Hopefully in my next fight, I get someone in the top-15. This year is my year. I want to fight the most I can.”
The reality: OK, so before you get too worked up, Davi Ramos (10-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) wasn’t exactly saying he wants Khabib Nurmagomedov next, but the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace made it clear that’s certainly his goal.
Ramos admitted he was frustrated with his performance against Austin Hubbard, going to a decision and snapping a run of three straight submission wins. Still, “The Tasmanian Devil” did flash power on the feet and the ability to get the fight to the floor seemingly at will. Once there, Ramos showed glimpses of his submission prowess, expertly transitioning from position to position in incredibly quick fashion.
Lightweight is one of the deepest divisions in the sport, and Ramos has yet to crack the rankings. But as a former Abu Dhabi Combat Club submission grappling world champion, he knows how to succeed in top-level competition. His turn to test himself against MMA’s elite should come soon enough.
Charles Oliveira
Wants to fight: Al Iaquinta
The callout: “Hey Dana, hey Sean, let’s stop playing around. I need a top-5 fighter. I deserve it.”
The reality: After scoring an impressive TKO win over Nik Lentz, Charles Oliveira (27-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) is now riding a five-fight winning streak. Perhaps even more importantly, he’s finally realizing that lightweight is indeed his home, rather than continuing to campaign for a return to the featherweight division.
Oliveira has had brushes with top-tier competition before, generally coming up on the losing end against elite opponents. But after nearly nine years in the UFC, “Do Bronx” now owns his longest octagon winning streak to date and is again ready to challenge top-tier foes. He said as much in his post-fight speech, calling on UFC president Dana White and UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby to book him against a top-5 opponent.
Checking out the only 155-pound list that really matters, the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA lightweight rankings, it’s easy to pick out a name. No. 1 Khabib Nurmagomedov and No. 3 Dustin Poirier are lined up for a title unification bout later this year. No. 2 Tony Ferguson and No. 4 Donald Cerrone fight at next month’s UFC 238. But No. 5 Al Iaquinta? Available.
Iaquinta is looking to rebound from a loss earliest this month to Cerrone, and Oliveira might provide a name big enough to pique his interest. Add in the striker vs. grappler aspect of the matchup, and it becomes an interesting stylistic affair. I’m not sure if Iaquinta would get on board, but I have to say, I don’t hate it.
Vicente Luque
Wants to fight: Darren Till or Santiago Ponzinibbio
The callout: “I want a top-10 (opponent), and I want Uruguay main event. I think I have big support from the Latin Americans. I’m a Spanish speaker, I have heritage – my dad is from Chile. I definitely want to fight on that Uruguay card. I think main event makes sense and a top-10 – maybe Darren Till; that would be great. I think also (Santiago) Ponzinibbio is another option – he’s a Latin guy, so it would be two good fights, I think, and Uruguay is the place.”
The reality: Vicente Luque (16-6-1 MMA, 9-2 UFC) had a crazy ride at UFC on ESPN+ 10, losing his opponent on fight week but agreeing to welcome newcomer Derrick Krantz to the cage. The decision nearly backfired, when “D-Rock” came out swinging to start the fight, but Luque battled through the adversity and came back to notch a first-round TKO win.
Afterward, Luque took to the mic with a plan prepared: He wants to headline UFC on ESPN+ 14, which is expected to take place on Aug. 10 at Antel Arena in Montevideo, Uruguay – though the promotion has yet to officially announce the location of the card. He also gave a few options for opponents, with both Till (17-2-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) and Ponzinibbio (27-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) as potential foes.
Both fights make sense to some degree, though Ponzinibbio seems the better option. For one, Ponzinibbio is on a seven-fight winning streak, while Till is reeling after a pair of disappointing losses. That makes a fight with “Gente Boa” much more meaningful in the weight class. And if the UFC is looking for a main event for Uruguay, they could certainly do worse than a pair of South Americans battling for a spot at the top of the welterweight division.
Felicia Spencer
Wants to fight: Amanda Nunes or Cris Cyborg
The callout: “I’m going to wait to talk to the UFC about my next fight. Honestly, I kind of thought Amanda might not come back to featherweight. So there’s basically her or Cyborg ahead of me. I’m down for either of them. If the UFC signs more featherweights, I’m down for that, too. As long as it’s a step up for me, I’m happy.”
The reality: Felicia Spencer (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) impressed in her UFC debut, tapping out respected contender Megan Anderson in relatively easy fashion. For Spencer, the result is both a blessing and a curse, as the women’s featherweight division is very much a work in progress and essentially contains just a handful of fighters – including UFC double champ Amanda Nunes, former title holder Cris Cyborg, Spencer and Anderson.
For Spencer, an immediate move up to the top of the division against Nunes (17-4 MMA, 10-1 UFC) or Cyborg (20-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility, even if it might seem a little early in her career to face such titans of the sport. It’s the ultimate in risk vs. reward – but one that could absolutely launch the career of the 28-year-old “FeeNom” into another realm.
It’s a little early for my taste, but as the one true GOAT Artem Lobov says, “If you never risk, you never drink champagne.”
Ian Heinisch
Wants to fight: Derek Brunson or Jack Hermansson
The callout: “I’m not impressed with Derek Brunson. I want to fight him. It would be a good wrestler vs. wrestler fight, but hopefully we’d both just strike and see who’s better. Jack Hermansson is a good fight, too. He’s on the rise. If I beat him, I leapfrog the guys he’s beaten. That’d be a great fight for me.”
The reality: Ian Heinisch (13-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is on quite the run right now. This past July, a first-round knockout victory at Dana White’ Contender Series earned Heinisch a UFC deal. He’s made good on his two UFC appearances thus far, scoring hard-fought victories over respected veterans Cezar Ferreira and, on Saturday night, Antonio Carlos Junior.
If there was any question whether or not Heinisch is the real deal, that should have been answered. But just how far up the ranking should “The Hurricane” be allowed to reach? In my opinion, Hermansson (20-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) would be a little much for now, with “The Joker” recently putting away perennial contender Ronaldo Souza.To be honest, I don’t hate the idea of Brunson (19-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC), who’s had mixed results in recent outings and never seems to worry about who’s standing on the other side of the cage.
Veterans like David Branch and Brad Tavares could provide suitable options, as well, but with Heinisch pulling his best Georges St-Pierre in his evaluation of Brunson’s performance, I say go ahead and put it together.
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