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On January 20, Neil Magny will appear in his third UFC main event as he takes on Michael Chiesa in a five-round welterweight showdown between a pair of top 10-ranked fighters.
But the headliner just opened a few days ago after the original main event was dropped when Khamzat Shimaev was unable to compete due to lingering issues following a battle with COVID-19. Despite only three fights in the promotion and only one victory in the welterweight division, Chimaev was granted a main event opportunity against one of Leon Edwards’ top five opponents.
Even before the Shimaev v Edwards fight was pushed back, many fighters who have been clamoring for the spotlight for several years were understandably upset that a newcomer with wins over opponents with a combined UFC record of 7-13 is seen. grant a principal event against a legitimate title contender.
Don’t count Magny among them, though, because while he’s happy to share the main event with Chiesa, he hasn’t seen an issue with Chimaev receiving so much attention after just a few fights in the UFC.
“At the end of the day, if you think about some of the complaints that fighters have as a whole, it can be marketed by the UFC, being able to get paid more by the UFC,” Magny explained in s. addressing to MMA. Combat. “So the fact that Chimaev was able to do what he did in the UFC in just three fights, I’m telling you more power.
“To get to the point where he’s fighting some of these guys in the top 10, the top five, if he thinks he can hang on with these guys, absolutely come and test him. I’m not going to sit there and say you’re not ready for this. “
Before his fight with Chiesa was booked, Magny actually offered to face Chimaev when it emerged that no ranked welterweight was ready to accept the challenge when the UFC wanted to offer him a spot at the event. main.
Magny never backed down on any opportunity the UFC gave him and he certainly wasn’t going to start with Chimaev.
“If you think you can hang out with the best players in the division and the UFC wants to make this fight, I would be 100% happy with that opportunity,” Magny said. “I would beat him to the point where everyone realizes he has more work to do or the guy is lucky and beats me and he’s actually able to say that I told you I was ready.” for that.
In many ways, Magny likens Chimaev to a high profile rookie entering a sport like football or basketball from the draft where athletes routinely sign multi-million dollar contracts before even putting a ball in a. hoop or to score a touchdown as a professional. .
In the long run, the 33-year-old veteran is hoping more fighters can take advantage of terms similar to what Chimaev did by storming the stage and creating the kind of hype where he faced the n-ranked welterweights. ° 3. in his fourth fight with the promotion.
“I think these are the times and these are the changes that will allow our sport to be more comparable to other sports like basketball or football where these young people, these rookies are able to get these huge contracts early on and somehow increase. the compensation status of all athletes who are under that particular banner, ”explained Magny. “You’ve got guys just out of high school, out of college and able to go play for the NBA, for the NFL and they’ve been able to play some of the best players in the league for five years. , six, 10 and over for some of these guys.
“It’s either you can hang out with these guys or you don’t. I think bringing fresh blood, a new face like Chimaev to the UFC helps everyone on every level. Not just him, not just the seasoned fighters, but all the other fighters who come after him as well.
As the old adage goes that a rising tide lifts all boats, Magny believes the impact of fighters like Chimaev will only help other athletes join the UFC roster in the future.
“It raises the standard, it raises the bar for new fighters entering the UFC,” Magny said. “Right now, most fighters entering the UFC get this contract at [$10,000 to show and $10,000 to win] and depending on how their fights go, they can move forward from there.
“But if guys like Chimaev are able to come to the UFC and make big waves and pass that salary [$20,000 to show, $20,000 to win] or whatever it is, I think that’s a plus for everyone.
That said, Magny is obviously more than happy to take the spot left vacant by Chimaev as he looks to start 2021 with a big win on his part to prepare for an even better year.
“It’s a huge opportunity for Michael Chiesa and I to come out and prove why we are two of the best welterweights in the division,” said Magny. “It was sort of overshadowed by the hype of Khamzat and Leon Edwards being inactive, it made headlines in this fight. I feel like everything went the right way for Chiesa and I to come out and shine.
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