Jussier Formiga ‘not totally happy’ with his performance, targets Ian McCall rematch

Jussier Formiga won an important fight against Zach Makovsky, scoring back-to-back for the first time under the UFC banner, but he wouldn’t call it the best win of his MMA career.

The Nova Uniao flyweight, who defeated the former Bellator bantamweight champion via unanimous decision at the UFC Fight Night 47 card in Bangor, Maine, on Aug. 16, was disappointed with his third round against Makovsky.

“I’m not totally happy with my performance because of the last round. I knew that was his strongest position, the single leg takedown, but he still took me down,” Formiga told MMAFighting.com.

“The first two rounds were exactly as I planned, but he was able to take me down in the third. He wasn’t offering me much trouble on the ground with his ground and pound, so I decided to stay there and control the fight until the end.

“I will fix this mistake for my next fight. I want an impeccable performance in my next fight. I want three perfect rounds, and it would be even better if I can end it earlier”

The last man to beat flyweight title contender Chris Cariaso, Formiga is open to fighting for the UFC belt next against the winner of Cariaso vs. Demetrious Johnson, but is down to fighting one more time.

“Man, I’m excited just to think about it,” he said. “Fighting for the UFC title would be great, the best. I fought well in this fight, and I will fight even better in my next fight. It’s up to the UFC. If they want to give me another fight, I’m fine with it. I wanted to be at the top 5 after this fight, and here I am. This fight was good to show the UFC fans that I’m one of the best.”

John Dodson and Joseph Benavidez, the only fighters to beat Formiga under the UFC banner, already had their shots for the flyweight championship. Ian McCall is the other man to handle the Brazilian a loss, and that’s the fight Formiga wants.

“I will fight whoever they want, but I’m still bitter about my loss to McCall,” Formiga said. “I fought him three years ago, it was a tough fight, and he ended up defeating me. I wasn’t so physically strong by that time, I wasn’t in a good moment in my career. I can do much better against him. If I could choose my next opponent, I’d choose to fight him.”

McCall and Formiga are currently ranked No. 3 and 4 in the UFC rankings, respectively, and the Brazilian expects another close match-up against the Tachi Palace Fights 125-pound champion. The pair of flyweights battled for three rounds at Tachi PF 8 in February 2011, and McCall won the decision.

“I think it would be fifty, fifty,” he said. “When I fought him, he was heavier than me. He was coming from WEC, where he fought as a bantamweight, and I gave him a tough fight. I think it would be a closer match-up this time.”

Jussier Formiga won an important fight against Zach Makovsky, scoring back-to-back for the first time under the UFC banner, but he wouldn’t call it the best win of his MMA career.

The Nova Uniao flyweight, who defeated the former Bellator bantamweight champion via unanimous decision at the UFC Fight Night 47 card in Bangor, Maine, on Aug. 16, was disappointed with his third round against Makovsky.

“I’m not totally happy with my performance because of the last round. I knew that was his strongest position, the single leg takedown, but he still took me down,” Formiga told MMAFighting.com.

“The first two rounds were exactly as I planned, but he was able to take me down in the third. He wasn’t offering me much trouble on the ground with his ground and pound, so I decided to stay there and control the fight until the end.

“I will fix this mistake for my next fight. I want an impeccable performance in my next fight. I want three perfect rounds, and it would be even better if I can end it earlier”

The last man to beat flyweight title contender Chris Cariaso, Formiga is open to fighting for the UFC belt next against the winner of Cariaso vs. Demetrious Johnson, but is down to fighting one more time.

“Man, I’m excited just to think about it,” he said. “Fighting for the UFC title would be great, the best. I fought well in this fight, and I will fight even better in my next fight. It’s up to the UFC. If they want to give me another fight, I’m fine with it. I wanted to be at the top 5 after this fight, and here I am. This fight was good to show the UFC fans that I’m one of the best.”

John Dodson and Joseph Benavidez, the only fighters to beat Formiga under the UFC banner, already had their shots for the flyweight championship. Ian McCall is the other man to handle the Brazilian a loss, and that’s the fight Formiga wants.

“I will fight whoever they want, but I’m still bitter about my loss to McCall,” Formiga said. “I fought him three years ago, it was a tough fight, and he ended up defeating me. I wasn’t so physically strong by that time, I wasn’t in a good moment in my career. I can do much better against him. If I could choose my next opponent, I’d choose to fight him.”

McCall and Formiga are currently ranked No. 3 and 4 in the UFC rankings, respectively, and the Brazilian expects another close match-up against the Tachi Palace Fights 125-pound champion. The pair of flyweights battled for three rounds at Tachi PF 8 in February 2011, and McCall won the decision.

“I think it would be fifty, fifty,” he said. “When I fought him, he was heavier than me. He was coming from WEC, where he fought as a bantamweight, and I gave him a tough fight. I think it would be a closer match-up this time.”