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Pat Healy says UFC move ‘a done deal,' wants to ‘mix it up' with Joe Lauzon

Strikeforce results: Pat Healy says UFC move ?a done deal,' wants to ?mix it up' with Joe Lauzon - MMAmania.com

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It appears Pat Healy's unanimous decision victory over Kurt Holobaugh last night (Jan. 12, 2013) at Strikeforce: "Marquadt vs. Saffiedine" was enough to earn an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) contract, as "Bam Bam" claims his spot on the UFC is roster secure.

Going into the event Healy was one of the 22 competitors on the card fighting for his future with the world's biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion. After the big win, the 29-year-old says UFC officials informed him his next fight will take place under the UFC banner.

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"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's a done deal," Healy told Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting in a post-fight interview following his victory over Holobaugh. "I mean they kind of talked to me right before this (interview) and said I was pretty much going to come over, so I would say yeah it's a done deal."

Healy (29-16) earned his sixth consecutive win in a hard-fought contest over the relatively unknown Holobaugh, surviving a couple of frightening moment over the course of the 15-minute affair. The nearly 12-year MMA veteran has competed in the UFC once before, losing to Anthony Torres at UFC Fight Night 6 in Aug. 2006.

The Team Quest product was scheduled to face Gilbert Melendez for the Strikeforce lightweight title at Saturday's event, but an injury to Melendez forced him off the card and and Healy faced Holobaugh.

While Healy would prefer to face Melendez in his first UFC fight, he knows "El Nino" is likely to challenge Benson Henderson for the UFC's 155-pound title, leaving him to seek alternative options.

One UFC lightweight Healy has his eyes on is Joe Lauzon, a fighter with a reputation for his thrilling bouts and post fight bonuses -- which is exactly the reason Healy wants to trade fisticuffs with "J-Lau."

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"I named Joe Lauzon earlier because I think he's a great opponent and he wins a lot of ‘Fight of the Night's' and I could use that nice little cushion money, you know, would just love to mix it up with a dude of his caliber."

A timeframe for Healy's next fight is unknown at this time.

Healy is going to draw a blanket in his octagon debut likely releasing him from the organization.

No way ever would the waste a Lauzon fight with Healy.

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Originally Posted by TheDoucheyWun (Post 998371)

Healy is going to draw a blanket in his octagon debut likely releasing him from the organization.

No way ever would the waste a Lauzon fight with Healy.

I busted out laughing when the announcer commended Healy's ability to control and cover opponents "like a blanket!"

I'd love to see him fight Lauzon but they'll most likely start him out with an easier opponent.

Melendez should have to fight Healy. Pulling out of a fight with an injury does not automatically grant you a step up in competition.

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Originally Posted by W.Silva>C.Norris (Post 998450)

Melendez should have to fight Healy. Pulling out of a fight with an injury does not automatically grant you a step up in competition.

But in my opinion, and in the opinion of a good percentage of others (I assume) Pat Healy was already a step DOWN in competition. Gilbert is a top 5 LW and should be fighting among the best in the UFC. This move is ling overdue.

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Originally Posted by CapCee (Post 998455)

In my opinion, and the opinion of what I feel is a good percentage of others, Gilbert is over-rated, and shouldnt be among the best in the UFC.

If Healy is such a step down, why was he scheduled to fight Gil then? Clearly Gil figured he was a good enough fighter when he signed the initial contract.

I just think that if a guy pulls out of a fight with an injury, then starts looking for the same level of competition a win would have earned him, that its unfair to those who actually trained and fought.

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Originally Posted by W.Silva>C.Norris (Post 998462)

Who else was there for him to fight in Strikeforce at the time? I'm not necessarily saying he should receive an immediate title shot, and until he fights a top-level UFC LW, he very well may be overrated. But he should fight a UFC contender, not Pat Healy; who was just the best of the rest in SF's LW division.

I definately want to see Healy/Gil.

To begin, I thought it was kind of a joke that Healy was the BEST title contender Strikeforce had to offer Gil(but still believe he earned the title shot) and even thought that he lost the Hirota bout by decision, but Gil & Healy been matched up twice now, with two cancelled fights due to Gil's injuries(the second of which I'm a tad incredulous of) and IMO, it was something of a reprieve for Gil, because Healy is such a sleeper.

I think there's something of a stigma attached to Gil having bowed out of two fights with Healy and I'd like to see him put it to bed with a win against Healy before he gets a title fight. Having Gil defend the SF title on a UFC card would be a "title fight" they can promote and unveil Gil to the UFC casuals.

Make no mistake, Gil would be the heavy favourite, however I think Healy is a helluva out for him and I wouldn't be surprised one bit if Healy pulled it out.