UBERLANDIA, Brazil — John Lineker meets Ian McCall in the co-main event of Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night 56 in Uberlandia, Brazil, but fighting the fellow flyweight contender isn’t Lineker’s toughest fight.
Lineker, who had issues cutting weight for most of his UFC bouts, was asked by the Brazilian media what would be tougher: making 125 pounds on Friday or fighting McCall on Saturday.
“Cutting weight, for sure,” Lineker responded. “We have three months to train for a fight, so fight night is just fun to me.”
However, the Brazilian flyweight expects to make 125 pounds without issues on today’s official weigh-ins.
“I had issues in the past, but that’s not a problem anymore,” he said. “My weight cut was great.”
Lineker and McCall engaged in a verbal war through social media in the months leading to the fight, and the Brazilian says it got him pumped up for the challenge.
“It definitely motivated me,” Lineker said. “I like to show my work inside the Octagon, not talking. I hope he’s ready to fight me. He has a good striking game, I consider him a good striker, but he won’t try to fight me standing.”
McCall says Lineker has nothing but heavy hands, and “Hands of Stone” is confident that McCall will have to worry about his punches at UFC Fight Night 56.
“His best weapon is his wrestling, but I’m not worried about that,” Lineker said. “It’s going to be a good fight for me, and a bad fight for him. I’ll show against McCall that my wrestling is better now and that I deserve to fight for the UFC title.”
“Ever since I got in the UFC, the title is what I want,” he continued. “I hope I can beat him and earn my shot at the belt. Many people are saying that the winner will fight for the title next, but you never know. I have to go there, do a good job and wait.”
UBERLANDIA, Brazil — John Lineker meets Ian McCall in the co-main event of Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night 56 in Uberlandia, Brazil, but fighting the fellow flyweight contender isn’t Lineker’s toughest fight.
Lineker, who had issues cutting weight for most of his UFC bouts, was asked by the Brazilian media what would be tougher: making 125 pounds on Friday or fighting McCall on Saturday.
“Cutting weight, for sure,” Lineker responded. “We have three months to train for a fight, so fight night is just fun to me.”
However, the Brazilian flyweight expects to make 125 pounds without issues on today’s official weigh-ins.
“I had issues in the past, but that’s not a problem anymore,” he said. “My weight cut was great.”
Lineker and McCall engaged in a verbal war through social media in the months leading to the fight, and the Brazilian says it got him pumped up for the challenge.
“It definitely motivated me,” Lineker said. “I like to show my work inside the Octagon, not talking. I hope he’s ready to fight me. He has a good striking game, I consider him a good striker, but he won’t try to fight me standing.”
McCall says Lineker has nothing but heavy hands, and “Hands of Stone” is confident that McCall will have to worry about his punches at UFC Fight Night 56.
“His best weapon is his wrestling, but I’m not worried about that,” Lineker said. “It’s going to be a good fight for me, and a bad fight for him. I’ll show against McCall that my wrestling is better now and that I deserve to fight for the UFC title.”
“Ever since I got in the UFC, the title is what I want,” he continued. “I hope I can beat him and earn my shot at the belt. Many people are saying that the winner will fight for the title next, but you never know. I have to go there, do a good job and wait.”
St. Preux, who accepted to replace Jimi Manuwa on days’ notice, plans to fight intelligently and gas the Brazilian striker before going for submissions on Saturday night’s UFC card in Uberlandia, Brazil. Rua plans to counter it with his muay thai skills.
“He always tries to go for the ground and pound, but I trained for every situation,” Rua told the media in Uberlandia. “He may try to lay and pray, hold me on the ground, but I have trained this with my team.”
Rua wasn’t the only one who had to deal with constant changes at UFC Fight Night 56, though.
Originally scheduled to meet former Strikeforce champion Rafael Cavalcante, OSP saw himself matched against Francimar Barroso when “Feijao” pulled out with an injury. When the UFC removed Manuwa from the main event due to an injury, OSP was named “Shogun’s” next opponent.
“We never considered not taking the fight,” Rua said. “It’s not the UFC’s fault and fans want to see a fight. It happens. Injuries are inevitable. I tried to change my training, adapt myself (to St. Preux’s game), and I believe I’ll be ready for him.”
Manuwa and St. Preux are completely different fighters, and “Shogun” had to change his entire game plan in 10 days.
“We have a lot of great fighters at the gym, I had a sparring who fights exactly like St. Preux,” Rua said. “I don’t believe anyone will be in advantage on Saturday night because of the opponent’s change, since he also had his opponent changed twice. I had one week to adapt.”
St. Preux, who accepted to replace Jimi Manuwa on days’ notice, plans to fight intelligently and gas the Brazilian striker before going for submissions on Saturday night’s UFC card in Uberlandia, Brazil. Rua plans to counter it with his muay thai skills.
“He always tries to go for the ground and pound, but I trained for every situation,” Rua told the media in Uberlandia. “He may try to lay and pray, hold me on the ground, but I have trained this with my team.”
Rua wasn’t the only one who had to deal with constant changes at UFC Fight Night 56, though.
Originally scheduled to meet former Strikeforce champion Rafael Cavalcante, OSP saw himself matched against Francimar Barroso when “Feijao” pulled out with an injury. When the UFC removed Manuwa from the main event due to an injury, OSP was named “Shogun’s” next opponent.
“We never considered not taking the fight,” Rua said. “It’s not the UFC’s fault and fans want to see a fight. It happens. Injuries are inevitable. I tried to change my training, adapt myself (to St. Preux’s game), and I believe I’ll be ready for him.”
Manuwa and St. Preux are completely different fighters, and “Shogun” had to change his entire game plan in 10 days.
“We have a lot of great fighters at the gym, I had a sparring who fights exactly like St. Preux,” Rua said. “I don’t believe anyone will be in advantage on Saturday night because of the opponent’s change, since he also had his opponent changed twice. I had one week to adapt.”
UBERLANDIA, Brazil — Demian Maia returned to the win column in May, but had to pull out of a fight with Mike Pyle due to a series of injuries. In Uberlandia, Brazil to help Mauricio Rua at UFC Fight Night 56, Maia spoke to MMAFighting.com about hi…
UBERLANDIA, Brazil — Demian Maia returned to the win column in May, but had to pull out of a fight with Mike Pyle due to a series of injuries. In Uberlandia, Brazil to help Mauricio Rua at UFC Fight Night 56, Maia spoke to MMAFighting.com about his recovery, his trips to the hospital, when he expects to be back in the Octagon and his desire to rematch Canadian sensation Rory MacDonald.
UBERLANDIA, Brazil — Mauricio Rua faces Ovince St. Preux in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 56 in Brazil, but struggles to maintain his focus on the fight.
On the same night UFC announced St. Preux as a short-notice replacement for injured Jimi Manuwa, the promotion announced that “Shogun” would coach the fourth season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil in 2015 in opposite to Anderson Silva.
Rua and Silva won’t fight at the end of the TUF season, but “Shogun” would accept the bout — “at 205 (pounds),” he says — if the UFC wants to make it happen.
“I won’t ask for this fight, I started training with Anderson,” Rua told the media in Brazil. “The UFC offered me the TUF gig without the fight in the end, and I didn’t consider fighting him. (But) if the UFC wants, I would do it. I’m a professional.”
Rua was rumored to be one of the TUF: Brazil 4 coaches in opposite to former rival Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, but Silva got the call instead of “Minotouro.”
“I think that, with Anderson, TUF will get more attention from the fans because he’s a great idol in Brazil,” Rua said. “Who knows, maybe I fight ‘Minotouro’ at the TUF Finale card.”
“I’m really happy to be coaching TUF with Anderson,” he added. “He’s an icon of the sport. It’s a dream coming true for me.”
UBERLANDIA, Brazil — Mauricio Rua faces Ovince St. Preux in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 56 in Brazil, but struggles to maintain his focus on the fight.
On the same night UFC announced St. Preux as a short-notice replacement for injured Jimi Manuwa, the promotion announced that “Shogun” would coach the fourth season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil in 2015 in opposite to Anderson Silva.
Rua and Silva won’t fight at the end of the TUF season, but “Shogun” would accept the bout — “at 205 (pounds),” he says — if the UFC wants to make it happen.
“I won’t ask for this fight, I started training with Anderson,” Rua told the media in Brazil. “The UFC offered me the TUF gig without the fight in the end, and I didn’t consider fighting him. (But) if the UFC wants, I would do it. I’m a professional.”
Rua was rumored to be one of the TUF: Brazil 4 coaches in opposite to former rival Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, but Silva got the call instead of “Minotouro.”
“I think that, with Anderson, TUF will get more attention from the fans because he’s a great idol in Brazil,” Rua said. “Who knows, maybe I fight ‘Minotouro’ at the TUF Finale card.”
“I’m really happy to be coaching TUF with Anderson,” he added. “He’s an icon of the sport. It’s a dream coming true for me.”
UBERLANDIA, Brazil — There’s a lot at stake at the UFC Fight Night 56 co-main event bout between Ian McCall and John Lineker on Nov. 8 in Brazil, and McCall knows that. During a media day in Uberlandia, the flyweight broke down his bout with Lineker and took shots at UFC 125-pound kingpin Demetrious Johnson, explaining why “Mighty Mouse” is one of the reasons why flyweight fighters don’t get the respect they deserve.
UBERLANDIA, Brazil — There’s a lot at stake at the UFC Fight Night 56 co-main event bout between Ian McCall and John Lineker on Nov. 8 in Brazil, and McCall knows that. During a media day in Uberlandia, the flyweight broke down his bout with Lineker and took shots at UFC 125-pound kingpin Demetrious Johnson, explaining why “Mighty Mouse” is one of the reasons why flyweight fighters don’t get the respect they deserve.
UBERLANDIA, Brazil — Mauricio Rua is one of the dangerous strikers in the light heavyweight division, and that’s why Ovince St. Preux wants to fight intelligently on Saturday night. Fighting in Brazil for the first time, OSP discussed his UFC Fight Night 56 main event with “Shogun”, the changes he had to make in strategy and training after another change of opponents, his loss to Ryan Bader and much more.
UBERLANDIA, Brazil — Mauricio Rua is one of the dangerous strikers in the light heavyweight division, and that’s why Ovince St. Preux wants to fight intelligently on Saturday night. Fighting in Brazil for the first time, OSP discussed his UFC Fight Night 56 main event with “Shogun”, the changes he had to make in strategy and training after another change of opponents, his loss to Ryan Bader and much more.
