Update: Magalhaes was quick to reply to Davis’ claims via MMA Junkie, posting the following response on his Twitter feed:
.@philmrwonderful you said on @mmajunkieradio you could submit me? Dude, now you’re tripping. — Vinny Magalhaes (@VinnyMMA) January 21, 2013
Malgalhaes added that the two have a potential bout set up for April, but the UFC “hasn’t made it official” with a contract signing. If that timetable works out, it could place them at UFC on Fuel TV 9, The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen Finale, UFC on Fox 7 or UFC 159.
Light heavyweight contender Phil Davis isn’t impressed by grappling ace Vinny Magalhaes, especially since the Ultimate Fighter alumnus already declined a fight with him once.
During an interview with MMA Junkie Radio (via MMA Junkie), Davis said that he’ll still take a bout with Magalhaes even though the Brazilian has been talking more than fighting since returning to the UFC roster. Both of them have been engaging in a bit of a Twitter war, but no grudge match has materialized just yet, says Davis:
The problem with this fight game is, a lot of people like to talk, but not a lot of people like to fight. And if you call somebody out, you are obligated to fight them. That’s the way this thing works.
He called me out while I was still in Brazil. Forrest Griffin got hurt (and Magalhaes) doesn’t want to fight me on three weeks’ notice. At that point, you need to shut up. But that’s part of the fight game – guys like to talk.
Davis could have used an opponent for that event too, as Griffin’s injury ended up scrapping his entire UFC 155 fight when another opponent couldn’t be found.
As a result, Davis hasn’t seen action since UFC 153, where he choked out Wagner Prado in two rounds. “Mr. Wonderful” added that stepping in for Griffin would’ve been a big opportunity for Magalhaes, especially since after “one fight in the UFC,” he would be stepping up from the preliminary bouts to the main card.
Not counting his TUF stint, Magalhaes actually has three UFC fights under his belt (currently standing a 1-2 record in the promotion), but it’s possible Davis simply doesn’t know that.
As the four-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler told MMA Junkie Radio, he had to “double-check” to make sure that Magalhaes was actually a UFC fighter after hearing his name. But even knowing identity of his potential foe doesn’t worry Davis, who says that being good at just one martial art doesn’t count for very much:
Not only do I think I could take him, I’d have the advantage (on the ground). In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, people have become so cocky that they think Brazilian jiu-jitsu is the end-all, be-all – and it’s not. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a fantastic art to learn, and it’s an amazing skill to add to your arsenal. But sometimes, when you become too good at one thing, you become arrogant and you don’t learn other things. Just to be 100 percent real about it, wrestling is a much stronger art form than Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Should the two meet in the Octagon, the obvious stylistic matchup will likely come down to Davis’ wrestling against Magalhaes’ jiu-jitsu.
But when asked if he could submit the submission expert, Davis’ answer was succinct: “Can I submit Vinny? Guys, we’re getting crazy here. Absolutely.”
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