John Lineker asks for immediate shot at Demetrious Johnson after cancelled UFN 56 fight with Ian McCall

UBERLANDIA, Brazil — John Lineker was supposed to fight Ian McCall in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 56 in Uberlandia, Brazil, on Nov. 8, but the flyweight bout was cancelled hours after the weigh-ins when McCall felt sick.

“He paid the price for his jokes,” Lineker told the media in Brazil. “He made fun of my situation, drinking coconut water (before the faceoff) while I had to cut 0.7 pound, and God punished him [laughs].

“It happens. I’m upset because I wanted to fight, I trained hard for months and couldn’t fight, but we have to understand.”

Lineker, 5-1 in his past six bouts under the UFC banner, was planning to call out flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson if victorious on Saturday night. He never got the change to get inside the cage, but calls out “Mighty Mouse” anyway.

“Since I wanted to fight (McCall) and ask for a shot at the title, why can’t I just go ahead and fight the champion?” Lineker asked. “UFC, please, give me this opportunity. I have evolved a lot since my first fight in the UFC, and I’m 100 percent ready to fight for the title.”

The Brazilian flyweight, who struggled to make weight several times in the UFC — including prior to his UFN 56 bout with McCall –, guarantees he would have no problem weighing in at 125 pounds for a championship fight.

“I made a mistake,” he said of his weight cut for UFN 56. “I thought we would weigh in at 6p.m., but the weigh-ins was at 4p.m. Weight is not a problem for me anymore. I weighed in at 125.5 pounds in my last fight, and I can make 125 pounds for a title fight.”

“I need three or four months to get ready (for Johnson), to a good training camp,” he added. “Weight is not a problem anymore.”

Johnson, 7-0-1 since cutting down to 125 pounds, successfully defended his title for the fifth time with a second-round submission over Chris Cariaso in September, and Lineker is confident that his striking is the key to handle the champion his first loss as a flyweight.

“With hands of stone,” Lineker said when asked about how can he stop Johnson. “When my hand lands, he will stop.”

UBERLANDIA, Brazil — John Lineker was supposed to fight Ian McCall in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 56 in Uberlandia, Brazil, on Nov. 8, but the flyweight bout was cancelled hours after the weigh-ins when McCall felt sick.

“He paid the price for his jokes,” Lineker told the media in Brazil. “He made fun of my situation, drinking coconut water (before the faceoff) while I had to cut 0.7 pound, and God punished him [laughs].

“It happens. I’m upset because I wanted to fight, I trained hard for months and couldn’t fight, but we have to understand.”

Lineker, 5-1 in his past six bouts under the UFC banner, was planning to call out flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson if victorious on Saturday night. He never got the change to get inside the cage, but calls out “Mighty Mouse” anyway.

“Since I wanted to fight (McCall) and ask for a shot at the title, why can’t I just go ahead and fight the champion?” Lineker asked. “UFC, please, give me this opportunity. I have evolved a lot since my first fight in the UFC, and I’m 100 percent ready to fight for the title.”

The Brazilian flyweight, who struggled to make weight several times in the UFC — including prior to his UFN 56 bout with McCall –, guarantees he would have no problem weighing in at 125 pounds for a championship fight.

“I made a mistake,” he said of his weight cut for UFN 56. “I thought we would weigh in at 6p.m., but the weigh-ins was at 4p.m. Weight is not a problem for me anymore. I weighed in at 125.5 pounds in my last fight, and I can make 125 pounds for a title fight.”

“I need three or four months to get ready (for Johnson), to a good training camp,” he added. “Weight is not a problem anymore.”

Johnson, 7-0-1 since cutting down to 125 pounds, successfully defended his title for the fifth time with a second-round submission over Chris Cariaso in September, and Lineker is confident that his striking is the key to handle the champion his first loss as a flyweight.

“With hands of stone,” Lineker said when asked about how can he stop Johnson. “When my hand lands, he will stop.”