UFC Flyweight contender John Lineker had some strong words for the man he was supposed to fight at UFC Fight Night 56 this weekend, Ian McCall, after their bout was cancelled.
“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].”
Lineker continued, “It happens. I’m upset because I wanted to fight, I trained hard for months and couldn’t fight, but we have to understand.”
The number six ranked UFC Flyweight contender then made it clear that he feels he deserves an immediate title shot against champion Demetrious Johnson.
“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.”
Regarding his issues making the 125-pound weight limit for Flyweight bouts, Lineker offered the following comments.
“I made a mistake,” he said of his weight cut heading into Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 56 event. “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. Weight is not a problem anymore.”
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