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 14 event in Abu Dhabi, 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 preliminary card …
Nathaniel Wood
Wants to fight: John Dodson
The callout: “I’d love to come back here, it’s been an absolutely amazing experience. If the UFC do keep this venue here up and running, I’d love to get back on here. I’d like a rematch with John Dodson at some point, but I understand that (the matchmakers) won’t give that to me necessarily, so just whoever the matchmakers want me to fight, I’ll take whoever the UFC give me.”
The reality: Nathaniel Wood knows that he’s unlikely to get a rematch with John Dodson straight away, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to plant the seed in the matchmakers’ minds. The Brit was set to face undefeated debutant Umar Nurmagomedov on “Fight Island” but the death of his uncle – and father of cousin Khabib – Abdulmanap meant he withdrew from the event. Wood stayed on the card and showed off his evolving striking game against game debutant John Castaneda. Wood will have to take on, and beat, more established opposition before he can get his rematch, but after another performance full of positives, the Brit is trending in the right direction again.
Next up: Rising featherweight targets fellow hot prospect.
Movsar Evloev
Wants to fight: Arnold Allen
The callout: “I am young, still undefeated and I got a win over a very tough opponent. I am hoping it will send UFC a message, that I am ready for top opponents. I would like to fight Arnold Allen because I think I could beat him and take his place. I am one step closer to the UFC gold and it’s just a matter of time when I will get it.”
The reality: After his hugely impressive performance against Mike Grundy at UFC on ESPN 14, I immediately dived into the UFC’s welterweight roster list to find the perfect next opponent for Movsar Evloev, and the name I came up with was the exact name he dropped in his post-fight interview. Ranked 11th in the UFC’s official featherweight rankings, Allen represents the ideal next test for Evloev. Both men have decent striking, both have prodigious cardio and both offer tricky fight options for higher-ranked opponents. So why not boost the stock of one of them by facing them off and strapping the rocket boosters to the winner. Pair them up and give the winner a shot against Top 10 opposition in their next fight. It would also offer a fascinating test for both men. Book it.
Next up: Heavyweight finisher doubles down on prior callout.
Tanner Boser
Wants to fight: Maurice Greene
The callout: “You already know, man. Maurice Greene, you stole a payday from me last August. I ain’t forgotten that yet. Let’s do it in the fall. I’m coming.”
The reality: Tanner Boser bulldozed another opponent at UFC Fight Island, then went straight back to the same name he called out after his previous victory in Abu Dhabi. And, why not? The matchup seems to make sense from a divisional standpoint, there’s a slightly tetchy backstory behind it and both men are coming off victories. It’s a fight that offers each man the chance to catapult themselves towards the division’s bigger names and, with both men seemingly keen to make it happen, it seems like a slam-dunk booking for a little later this year.
Next up: British heavyweight delivers respectful callout.
Tom Aspinall
Wants to fight: Serghei Spivac
The callout: “I would like to get back around September, October time, something like that. I was very impressed with Serghei Spivac, who fought last week on this card, he’s a young up and coming guy, I’m a young and up and coming guy and I think they should put us together and let’s fight.”
The reality: After his dynamite debut at UFC on ESPN 14, Tom Aspinall showed some real maturity after his victory when he kept his feet on the ground, didn’t get too far ahead of himself and made a well-pitched callout to face a man who is also looking to build his name in the UFC’s heavyweight division. In a division where it would be very easy for him to be fast-tracked ahead of his developmental progress, it shows a smart head on relatively inexperienced shoulders to pitch himself against a fellow up-and-comer, rather than going after a big name straight away. His performances may see him face more established names sooner rather than later, but Spivac seems like a well-judged suggestion.
Next up: Returning veteran targets a tall task.
Jesse Ronson
Wants to fight: Luis Pena or Jalin Turner
The callout: “Well, I have a problem with guys that are too tall for the division. (With) me at five-10 maybe it’s small-man syndrome, but if you’re six foot three you need to eat something other than frickin’ lettuce and ice cubes. Luis Pena and Jalin Turner, those tall guys at six-foot-three. At least (James) Vick became a man and he moved up. How can you be six-three and call yourself a lightweight? Dude, eat something! I love fighting tall guys (and) I love crushing their guts, so Luis Pena or Jalin Turner, November, December, let’s go. I know you don’t know me, but you will.”
The reality: Jesse Ronson delivered a superb performance in the cage, but his post-fight interview arguably eclipsed it, as he showed bags of personality, told his story well and finished with a brilliant callout of two divisional prospects. Everyone like seeing the smaller guy standing up to bigger opposition, and Ronson’s decision to challenge two rangy lightweights – and his amusing assessment of their diets – resonated instantly. The 155-pound division is stacked and offers a plethora of matchmaking permutations. But, after that callout, my immediate reaction was simply, “Why not?”
Next up: Evergreen Brazilian targets Hall of Famer.
Francisco Trinaldo
Wants to fight: Diego Sanchez
The callout: “I really want to fight Diego Sanchez, I think he is a veteran like me, he’s a very experienced guy. There’s a lot of guys like Cerrone and a lot of other guys, but I really want to fight Diego Sanchez at 170, so Dana, make it happen.”
The reality: Francisco Trinaldo had to endure a bruising battle with British debutant Jai Herbert before eventually scoring a huge third-round finish. Now he wants to test himself against a fellow veteran of the game in a bout that has “grueling battle” written all over it.
“Massaranduba” is as tough and gritty as they come at 155 pounds, while Sanchez never takes a step backward. It would offer a gritty test of both men’s fighting spirit, but I’m not convinced it’s the sort of fight Sanchez would want at this stage in his career. It makes complete sense for Trinaldo, but for Sanchez, I suspect he’d rather face a bigger name.
Next up: “The Bearjew” doubles down on rematch call.
Paul Craig
Wants to fight:Mauricio Rua
The callout: “I would love to run back a fight, and you know what fight I’d love to run back. It ended in a draw for me. It was against Shogun Rua. I had an opportunity to fight one of the greatest fighters in my division and I took that in a heartbeat. But from his point of view, he took a last-minute opponent. … so it was unfair on him as well. If both of us had a full fight camp, what would that fight look like? Could it be another legendary fight for Shogun Rua? Could I then go in the history books with Shogun Rua? That’s what I want. But Shogun Rua, as we know, tends not to have a quick turnaround, so there’s other fighters there.”
The reality: Paul Craig has made no secret of his desire to rematch “Shogun before, but I’m not sure he’s going to get that chance. Rua’s star power and the fact that he’s at the tail-end of his career means he’ll likely get the opportunity to be a little more selective about his opponents, and I’m not convinced a rematch with the notoriously tricky Scot will offer him enough of an upside for him to sign to face him again.
Craig later went on to mention potential matchups against Ryan Spann and Johnny Walker, and I think both of those names represent more viable options for “The Bearjew.” On paper, Craig vs. Spann seems like an intriguing stylistic matchup and would be the one I’d book next.
Next up: One heavyweight legend targets another.
Fabricio Werdum
Wants to fight: Fedor Emelianenko
The callout: “This is 100 percent (true). I want to fight with Fedor, 100 percent. I respect him a lot. I want to give this opportunity to him to fight with me again. This has history: Me vs. Fedor in 2010. Ten years later, everybody wants to see this fight. I don’t know where, but for sure I want to fight with Fedor because I respect him. In my mind, he is the best in the world.”
The reality: Fabricio Werdum has defeated a who’s who of MMA heavyweight greats, and before he hangs up the four-ounce gloves for good he’d love to face “The Last Emperor” again. Werdum ended Emelianenko’s decade-long unbeaten run back in 2010 and, with both men very much at the twilight of their respective careers, it’s a fight that would offer genuine interest and intrigue, 10 years on from their first meeting. Much will depend on Werdum’s next promotional move, but if he ended up signing with Bellator, or perhaps RIZIN FF, a matchup with his old adversary might just be a possibility.
