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 21 event in Las Vegas, who took advantage of their time on the mic?
See below for this week’s Callout Collection – and just how realistic each one is.
Grant Dawson
Wants to fight: Clay Guida
The callout: “From this point on, it’s legends and rankings. Clay is a legend in the game. I remember being a child and watching Clay fight. He said he wanted to fight an up-and-comer. That’s me. I fit that bill. I got you, Clay. I will make time for you, buddy.”
The reality: Grant Dawson’s rise up the UFC lightweight division continued as he handed Leonardo Santos his first official defeat in more than a decade. Now he has set his sights on a stalwart of the division in Clay Guida as he looks to continue his ascent. I like the callout, because sometimes when up-and-coming fighters score notable wins, they get a little over-zealous and call out top-ranked fighters too early. But by calling out an established, seasoned name like Guida, it shows Dawson is looking to make incremental improvements and gradually work his way up the ladder. It looks like a common-sense callout, and one that might have a fair chance of becoming a reality.
Max Griffin
Wants to fight: Geoff Neal
The callout: “He’s highly ranked. I like the guy, we’re friends, you know? But, hey. We’re co-workers, too, and Texas. He’s from Texas. I’m trying to put something together. I’ve asked for these guys. They just don’t give them to me, you know? So I’m trying to get someone that’s good, that no-one wants to fight. So hopefully they give me something.”
The reality: You could never accuse Max Griffin of shying away from a fight, and he’s pushing hard for a fight on the UFC’s big Houston card at UFC 262. I like the way he went about it, too. There was no manufactured beef and no histrionics. Instead, he just laid out the circumstantial elements that make the fight make sense in his mind. It may well make sense in the minds of the UFC’s matchmakers, too.
Geoff Neal’s momentum hit the buffers when he lost out to Stephen Thompson in the main event of UFC Fight Night 183. Now he has to rebuild, and a bout against the sort of opponent who will bring the fight straight to him could be just what he needs as he looks to bounce back. For Griffin, meanwhile, it’s a chance to score a notable win and move his way toward the division’s big names at 170 pounds. It’s a bout that certainly seems to make sense.
Derek Brunson
Wants to fight: Paulo Costa
The callout: “Costa. What’s up, man? I see you’ve just pulled out of a fight. I’m still here for you. Me and Costa, that sounds like a fight that I would like to have.”
The reality: Derek Brunson went into his fight with Kevin Holland as the underdog, but came through with flying colors as he showed the sort of big-fight mentality needed to win a UFC main event. Now, having turned back the surging contender, he wants a crack at top-drawer opposition.
His callout of Costa is an interesting one, and represents the highest-ranked contender he could conceivably face next time out, but I’m not sure whether the UFC would push him that far up the rankings in one leap. More likely is a matchup against the loser of the upcoming bout between Darren Till and Marvin Vettori. Both are ranked higher than Brunson, and would still represent a step up. But it wouldn’t be the instant charge into title contention he’s clearly looking for.
Another option could be a bout against Jared Cannonier, but with the winner of the Till-Vettori bout likely to either challenge for the title, or face a title eliminator bout, next, matching Brunson with the loser may well make the most sense for the division.