Geoff Neal thinks that by defeating Stephen Thompson, he will prove that he is a bona fide title contender and ready for primetime. UFC Vegas 17 will be headlined by Geoff Neal taking on the #5-ranked welterweight contender Stephen Thompson. Not unlike…
Geoff Neal thinks that by defeating Stephen Thompson, he will prove that he is a bona fide title contender and ready for primetime. UFC Vegas 17 will be headlined by Geoff Neal taking on the #5-ranked welterweight contender Stephen Thompson. Not unlike the co-main event between Jose Aldo and Marlon Vera, many view this contest […]
The final UFC Vegas 17 betting odds are in for as this event is quickly approaching for the Las Vegas-based promotion. UFC fight Night: Stephen Thompson vs. Geoff Neal is here, and it goes down tonight (Saturday, December 19, 2020) from UFC APEX …
The final UFC Vegas 17 betting odds are in for as this event is quickly approaching for the Las Vegas-based promotion. UFC fight Night: Stephen Thompson vs. Geoff Neal is here, and it goes down tonight (Saturday, December 19, 2020) from UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The headliner will feature a slugfest with […]
UFC Vegas 17 goes down tonight (Saturday, December 19, 2020) from the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada and we have the results. The world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion compiled an excellent card for fight fans to enjoy. It’s …
UFC Vegas 17 goes down tonight (Saturday, December 19, 2020) from the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada and we have the results. The world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion compiled an excellent card for fight fans to enjoy. It’s headlined by a meeting between Stephen Thompson and Geoff Neal in a welterweight […]
The UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Neal (UFC Vegas 17) weigh-ins are complete! All fighters made weight, so we are locked and loaded to send off 2020 with a lot of fireworks! In the main event, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson will be facing Geoff Neal in a fig…
The UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Neal (UFC Vegas 17) weigh-ins are complete! All fighters made weight, so we are locked and loaded to send off 2020 with a lot of fireworks! In the main event, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson will be facing Geoff Neal in a fight with contrasting striking styles. The fight is pivotal […]
UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Neal (UFC Vegas 17) takes place this Saturday, December 19, 2020, in what will be the final UFC card of the year. Here is a look at the stories and characters of Saturday’s showcase. Marcin Tybura vs. Greg Hardy: The Pri…
UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Neal (UFC Vegas 17) takes place this Saturday, December 19, 2020, in what will be the final UFC card of the year. Here is a look at the stories and characters of Saturday’s showcase. Marcin Tybura vs. Greg Hardy: The Prince’s War Against Order and Normalcy The Characters Marcin Tybura: […]
Michel Pereira was disappointed not to be fighting Anthony Pettis this weekend. Pereira meets Khaos Williams on the featured prelim bout of UFC Vegas 17 on Saturday night. Pettis, meanwhile, is set to take on Alex Morono on the same card. However, Pereira was originally looking to fight the former UFC lightweight champion in Pettis […]
Michel Pereira was disappointed not to be fighting Anthony Pettis this weekend.
Pereira meets Khaos Williams on the featured prelim bout of UFC Vegas 17 on Saturday night. Pettis, meanwhile, is set to take on Alex Morono on the same card.
However, Pereira was originally looking to fight the former UFC lightweight champion in Pettis only to be told he was injured. Instead, both fighters are competing on the same card against different opponents and Pereira believes that’s due to Pettis being afraid to fight him.
“I’m upset with Anthony Pettis because he said he was hurt, he had a back injury, and wouldn’t fight me, and I understood that, he’s hurt and can’t fight, OK, but now he’s fighting on the same card on the 19th,” Pereira told MMA Fighting. “So why isn’t he fighting me? Is he scared? Or is it because I’m not ranked? Why? I almost didn’t get a fight in December because he was stalling for a month to say yes or no. He said no, and now he’s also fighting on the 19th.”
“I think it’s fear, right? It can only be fear. I don’t know. He can’t fight me but will fight someone else? I think it’s fear. … I know many fighters in my division are afraid of me, but time will come for me to fight them all. With my humbleness, focus, discipline and charisma, I’ll reach the top and get my moment.”
Pettis, however, would clarify why that ended up being the case while acknowledging that he was offered a fight with Pereira.
“When they offered me a fight on the 19th, I was looking at the 12th, the last fight card,” Pettis said. “If I’m gonna fight, I’d rather be on the last card fight of year, get an extra week. This was probably three weeks ago. I think they offered him [Pereira] to my agent for the 12th and I’m like, ‘I’d rather have the extra week.’ During that one week of negotiations when [Leon] Edwards got his COVID test results and pulled out because of COVID, that opened up a spot on the 19th card and I hit up Dana [White] myself [and said], ‘Dana, let me get on that card.’
“Dana sends me five names and he’s like, these are the guys available. That guy’s name wasn’t on that list. I know who he is because he’s tried the ‘Showtime Kick,’ and he did it a couple of times, but he’s mistaken that he thinks I’m afraid. I already fought the guy who’s in the main event of the card, why would I be afraid to fight this dude?”
Pettis would clap back further about the notion that he was scared to fight the Brazilian.
“Maybe he should look at who I fought and then he can tell me if I’m afraid to fight a guy like him,” Pettis added. “A guy like him, especially since he comes from a striking background, maybe our paths will cross. But it wasn’t in God’s plan right now for us to fight. I don’t really gotta speak on that; I feel like he has to talk the talk to get a fight with me. These guys want to fight me, these guys want to get in the octagon with me.”
What do you think of Pereira’s statement and the response of Pettis? Would you like to see them fight in the future?
Michel Pereira was disappointed not to be fighting Anthony Pettis this weekend. Pereira meets Khaos Williams on the featured prelim bout of UFC Vegas 17 on Saturday night. Pettis, meanwhile, is set to take on Alex Morono on the same card. However, Pereira was originally looking to fight the former UFC lightweight champion in Pettis […]