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+ 7 event in St. Petersburg, Russia, 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.
Magomed Mustafaev
Wants to fight: Kevin Lee
The callout: “I’m aiming for a rematch with Kevin Lee. I broke my arm and continued the fight in the first round. I fought with a broken arm in the second round but couldn’t punch because my hand was swollen. If he doesn’t permanently move to another weight division, I will try to get the rematch.”
The reality: Magomed Mustafaev (14-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is an incredibly impressive 12-1 in his past 13 appearances. The only loss in that stretch? A 2016 contest with Lee (17-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC).
On Saturday, Mustafaev was spectacular, scoring a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for an 86-second stoppage of a previously undefeated Rafael Fiziev. The only problem for Mustafaev is that the victory marked the first time he’d fought since the Lee result some 29 months earlier. Lee has fought five times since then, including a 2017 bid for an interim title. He’s also moving up to the welterweight division in his next appearance, a May clash with former UFC champ Rafael dos Anjos.
In short, Mustafaev’s request just isn’t realistic right now. But it’s clear to see a rematch is definitely in his plans. If he keeps scoring bonus-winning finishes, perhaps it could one day happen.
Michal Oleksiejczuk
Wants to fight: Ion Cutelaba
The callout: “I want to fight Ion Cutelaba whenever he’s ready to go. I think that would be a very good fight in the light heavyweight division. Whenever he’s ready, I’ll be ready to fight him.”
The reality: Michal Oleksiejczuk (14-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has an absolutely unpronounceable last name. I’m sure even in Polish, it’s impossible to say. How do you combat that? Well, you make incredibly specific callouts so you can be known as “the guy who wants to fight Ion Cutelaba.”
Oleksiejczuk is 2-0 in the UFC with two first-round knockouts. He would be 3-0, but a positive test for the anti-estrogen agent clomiphene saw a 2017 win over Khalil Rountree overturned to a no contest. Meanwhile, Cutelaba (14-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) also has earned his past two victories by first-round knockout. He also previously ran afoul of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency when he received a six-month sanction for voluntarily disclosing his use of “ozone therapy,” which involves a blood transfusion.
Cutelaba is currently slated to face Glover Teixeira at next week’s UFC on ESPN 3 event, but it seems Oleksiejczuk is tipping his hand at who he predicts will prove victorious. If Cutelaba does win – especially if it’s in violent fashion – there might not be many people with their hands in the air looking for the assignment. Consider Oleksiejczuk your man.
Shamil Abdurakhimov
Wants to fight: Someone in the top five
The callout: “It doesn’t really matter who they give me next, but I would like a top-five opponent. I just beat the ninth-ranked guy in the division. Come on, give me some tests here.”
The reality: Sure, Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) isn’t always the most aesthetically pleasing athlete in the UFC’s heavyweight division, but with his Saturday win over Marcin Tybura, he now stands at 4-1 in his past five outings, with the lone loss in that run coming to the ever-popular Derrick Lewis.
Abdurakhimov sits at No. 13 in the latest UFC heavyweight rankings, while Tybura entered the contest at No. 10, so Abdurakhimov was only slightly off on his claim. That said, No. 1 Stipe Miocic is likely to fight champion Daniel Cormier next. No. 2 Francis Ngannou and No. 3 Junior Dos Santos are scheduled to meet this summer.
That would only leave No. 4 Curtis Blaydes or a rematch with No. 5 Lewis for Abdurakhimov to get his wish, and neither seems all that likely. As such, Abdurakhimov may have to adjust his goals, unless he can find a way to ruffle some feathers in the meantime. Maybe some Russian taunts directed in the direction of Blaydes’ dad?
Movsar Evloev
Wants to fight: As quickly as possible
The callout: “I don’t actually care who will be my next opponent. I just switched to another weight division in order to recover better and faster, so I’m asking UFC to give me my next fight as soon as possible.”
The reality: Movsar Evloev (11-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is a former M-1 Global bantamweight champion who moved up to featherweight for his UFC debut – and turned in a rather impressive performance in a decision win over fellow newcomer Seungwoo Choi. The post-fight stuff, Evloev didn’t handle with quite as much relentless aggression, but you have to respect the idea of moving up a weight class in the UFC just to get fights as quickly as possible. Make it happen, UFC.
Next up, let’s check out the main card.
Roxanne Modafferi
Wants to fight: Cris Cyborg
The callout: “I want to fight to fight Cyborg. Just kidding. It doesn’t matter who I call out. It’s whoever. I’m just excited to fight another tough opponent who I can prepare for and grow and show my skills as a martial artist.”
The reality: At Saturday’s event, Roxanne Modafferi (23-15 MMA, 2-3 UFC) handed Antonina Shevchenko her first MMA loss, showing the durability and scrappiness that have become her calling card. And honestly, the women’s MMA pioneer is just confident enough – and crazy enough – to step in the cage with former UFC women’s featherweight champion Cyborg (20-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC), who probably outweighs her by 40 pounds on fight night.
But she’s kidding, OK? It’s a joke. Don’t you even think about doing that to “The Happy Warrior.” What’s wrong with you?
Sergei Pavlovich
Wants to fight: Whoever the journalists decide.
The callout: “I’m just a fighter. I only have to fight and win, and it’s not my job to tell the world if I made a statement with my win or not. I’ll leave it to journalists. Now I only want to relax and not to think about anything.”
The reality: Sergei Pavlovich (13-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) was given an incredibly tough assignment in his promotional debut, facing Alistair Overeem last November in China and suffering a first-round TKO loss, the first defeat of his professional career. The Russian responded in fine fashion on Saturday, bouncing back with a dominant 66-second stoppage over Marcelo Golm.
When given the change, Pavlovich declined to lay out his next move. So I guess it’s up to you, Mike Bohn.
Islam Makachev
Wants to fight: Anybody in the top 15
The callout: “I would like to call out the guys from the top 15 who are afraid to get kicked out of there. Because they fight only between each other, so they don’t get kicked out even if they lose. I urge them to stop being afraid and fight with guys who are not in the top 15.”
The reality: Islam Makhachev (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is perhaps best known as a chief training partner of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. He’s also now the man with the fifth-longest winning streak in the UFC’s lightweight division with five consecutive victories.
That said, Makhachev is currently just outside of the UFC’s official rankings, as well as the vastly superior official USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA lightweight rankings. (Come on – we’re keeping it light here, OK?)
While Makhachev’s UFC run includes victories over the likes of Kajan Johnson (albeit controversially), Gleison Tibau, Nik Lentz and Chris Wade, he lacks the signature victory needed to thrust him up the list. Add in the fact he’s not exactly the most exciting guy on a microphone, not to mention his involvement in the infamous post-UFC 229 brawl, and UFC brass may be hesitant to get behind the 27-year-old Dagestani.
All that said, make no mistake about it – Makhachev absolutely deserves a shot at a ranked foe, perhaps against a fellow wrestling standout in the undefeated Gregor Gillespie or a young stud who’s proven willing to take on any comers in Alexander Hernandez.
And now, our main event.
Alistair Overeem
Wants to fight: Alexander Volkov
The callout: “I was originally scheduled to fight Alexander Volkov. The fight did not happen tonight, but I’m very open to that fight in the future.”
The reality: Alistair Overeem (45-17 MMA, 10-6 UFC) and Volkov (30-7 MMA, 4-1 UFC) were originally scheduled to compete in the main event of Saturday’s event before the towering Russian was pulled from the card and replaced by Aleksei Oleinik. Despite the complete stylistic change in opponent, Overeem delivered a first-round victory.
Prior to the event, Overeem told MMA Junkie that he was hoping to compete next at the UFC’s rumored September return to Abu Dhabi, and rebooking the Volkov matchup could be an easy call. However, while UFC officials cited “health issues” as the reason for Volkov’s removal from Saturday’s card, Russian media outlet MatchTV.ru has reported he may be dealing with a potential USADA violation. When pressed on the matter, UFC senior vice president Dave Shaw declined to elaborate.
If that report turns out to be true, Overeem may have to find a different target.
For complete coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 7, check out the UFC Events section of the site.
