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+ 27 event in Norfolk, Va., 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.
Brendan Allen
Wants to fight: Trevin Giles
The callout: “I’d love to avenge one of my losses at ‘International Fight Week’ coming up (against Trevin Giles). But right now, I just want to go home and see my baby.”
The reality: Brendan Allen looked superb in his first-round finish of British prospect Breese, and a matchup with former foe Giles, who defeated him in his third professional fight, might just make sense. Giles snapped a two-fight losing streak with a win over James Krause, who jumped up two weight classes to face him on a day’s notice, and will be looking for a win against a legitimate 185-pounder next time out to get the ball rolling again. A matchup against a man he has faced before might be just the ticket for Giles, while giving Allen the rematch he clearly craves.
Next up, the first of two women’s featherweight contenders…
Megan Anderson
Wants to fight: Amanda Nunes
The callout: “I’m the only one that’s on a win streak. I feel like I put my name on the list, particularly with such a great knockout. … If I do get the title shot, I’m game as (expletive). If not, I’m still going to be here and keep racking up the wins until I do get a title shot.”
The reality: Megan Anderson has as strong a claim for a title shot as anyone at 145 pounds, but she finds herself standing side-by-side with fellow UFC Norfolk winner Felicia Spencer as the two top contenders to face Nunes next. Her ability to finish fights in the standup department would make a clash with Nunes an exciting style matchup, but Nunes has faced plenty of strikers before and prevailed. Will that fact go against Anderson when the matchmakers decide who gets the next shot?
Next up, the other likely contender for Amanda Nunes’ title…
Felicia Spencer
Wants to fight: Amanda Nunes
The callout: “I didn’t really get to see Megan perform. I heard it was great, but I think I put myself in a great position to get a shot, so we just need to have a conversation with the UFC. … I do have a win over Megan. We both got first-round finishes tonight, so it was an interesting night for that. I think it turned out the way a lot of people expected, and I could definitely see myself getting that shot (at Nunes) and I think I earned it.”
The reality: Felicia Spencer did everything she needed to do to put her right alongside Anderson for the next shot at Nunes’ featherweight title, and it’s really a case of who the UFC prefers from a matchmaking standpoint. Anderson has the win streak in her favor, but Spencer might offer a slightly different challenge to those we’ve seen against Nunes before. That might just give “Feenom” the edge.
