Neil Magny
Wants to fight:[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]
The callout: “I don’t know how many times I call out Mike Chiesa for him to keep ducking me, but that’s the fight I want the most right now. He called me out when I couldn’t do anything about it, and now that I’m healthy and ready to go, he’s nowhere to be found. So that’s a fight I’d love to have.”
The reality: We’ve been here before with [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag]. After his win at UFC 248 in March, Magny issued a call for a fight with Chiesa and our assessment was that the fight made a lot more sense for Magny than it did for Chiesa. Three months on and with Chiesa still to make his next appearance in the octagon, little has really changed.
Currently listed at No. 8 in the UFC’s official rankings, and No. 13 in the USA TODAY/MMA Junkie MMA rankings (which includes fighters from other promotions), Chiesa’s next move will almost certainly involve him looking to nudge his way up the rankings, rather than fend off someone ranked below him. So with that said, the ball’s in Chiesa’s court. If he fancies the Magny matchup, it’s an easy booking, but the likes of Demian Maia and Stephen Thompson may offer more upside.
Next up: Bantamweight contender says it’s time to fight for the gold
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