Da Un Jung
Wants to fight: [autotag]Gian Villante[/autotag]
The callout: “I have mentioned this before, and I said it today: I still want to fight Gian Villante. But it can really be anyone from the top 20. If I can improve by fighting someone, I am happy to take the fight.”
The reality: Villante has alternated wins and losses through his last five fights, and will be looking to bounce back into the win column the next time he steps into the octagon. The American may see Jung as a potential option, but it represents a fight with little upside to the established UFC veteran.
With just two fights to his name on the big stage, it’s more likely that the UFC will pair Jung with another prospect with similar experience, perhaps on a European or Asian card, in Q2 of 2020. With no Asian dates locked in for 2020 at time of writing, Jung’s next assigment may not arrive until the UFC’s next trip east.
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Charles Jourdain
Wants to fight: [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag]
The callout: “They say work hard until your idols become your rivals. Cub Swanson, you’ve been a hero of mine for years. I wish you a speedy recovery, and I would love to face you when you return in 2020.”
The reality: Usually, a relative newcomer calling for a fight with such an established, long-time contender would be a bit of a stretch. But considering Jourdain’s performance against the highly-rated Choi, it might not be out of the realm of possibility.
Swanson likely won’t be back in action until the summer as he rehabs the unfortunate knee injuries he sustained at Quintet Ultra earlier in December. But the option of a comeback fight against a young up-and-comer, rather than a seasoned vet, might also appeal to Swanson as he looks to get back up to speed.
It could be an ideal comeback fight for Swanson, and the perfect opportunity for Jourdain. But with a plethora of options in the talent-stacked featherweight division, the UFC’s matchmakers will have a variety of options on tap for both men as they plot their respective futures in 2020.
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Volkan Oezdemir
Wants to fight: [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] and [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag]
The callout: “You know already that I want my rematch with Dominick Reyes, because everybody knows that decision was (expletive). So he’s going to do his own things, but in the meantime … I want to fight Anthony Smith.”
The reality: Oezdemir’s motivation for facing Reyes again is obvious. His split-decision loss to “The Devastator” in London back in March was a hotly-disputed one, with Oezdemir even telling reporters backstage that Reyes’ team were congratulating him on the victory before the scorecards awarded the fight to their man. However, he also knows that the rematch will have to wait for another day, with Reyes set to face Jon Jones for the belt at UFC 247 on Feb. 8
With that in mind, and looking at the light heavyweight landscape right now, Oezdemir has probably made the right callout by asking for Smith. They’re in the same boat. They’re former title challengers looking to reposition themselves for a second run at the belt, and need an opponent of suitable gravitas to help push their claims with a victory. In that regard, they could be tailor-made for each other.
Smith told MMA Junkie last week that he expected to be pushed towards a matchup with Rakic if the Austrian had won in Busan, but with Oezdemir winning, a rematch between the pair seems to make a fair degree of sense. Oezdemir will want to avenge his loss to “Lionheart” from their first meeting back in 2018, while Smith knows he has what it takes to defeat “No Time” from that first fight.
It seems like a natural next step for both men. Book it.
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Chan Sung Jung
Wants to fight: [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag]
The callout: “I WANT VOLKANOVSKI!”
The reality: Callouts don’t get much clearer and simpler than the one issued by “The Korean Zombie” after his demolition of Frankie Edgar in the main event. And, after a performance like that, it’s hard to argue the South Korean superstar doesn’t deserve his second shot at UFC gold.
His first came back at UFC 163 in 2013, when a dislocated shoulder prevented him from showing his very best against a dominant Jose Aldo in Rio. After that fight, Chan went on national service with the South Korean military before eventually returning to a very different-looking featherweight division. But now, after three wins – and four consecutive bonus-winning performances – “The Korean Zombie” looks ready for a shot at the gold once again.
With the likes of Zabit Magomedsharipov and Yair Rodriguez both there or thereabouts at the sharp end of the featherweight division, there’s certainly no shortage of contenders for Volkanovski’s newly-won 145-pound title, and there’s also the possible roadblock of a rematch between the Aussie and long-reigning former champ Max Holloway. But, if the UFC wanted to throw a new title challenger into the mix before Holloway returns, Chan might just be the man.
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