Gegard Mousasi not happy at UFC matchmaking
Top UFC middleweight Gegard Mousasi would ordinarily be expecting a title shot if he beats former champ Chris Weidman. However with the log jam in the middleweight division due to Michael Bisping fighting Georges St-Pierre, Mousasi joins the list of fighters bemoaning the UFC matchmaking.
Speaking to the Fight Society Podcast, Mousasi said,
“At first they made the Dan Henderson fight [against Michael Bisping] that didn’t make any sense. The No. 1 contender didn’t fight then. Now they’re making the GSP fight and Michael Bisping hasn’t fought for a long time. So the No. 1 contender has to wait again,” Mousasi explained. “If the No. 1 contenders would have fought in those two fights, I would have fought [for the title] by now.
“Because the UFC is making these silly fights.”
With Yoel Romero seemingly the number 1 contender and ‘Jacare’ Souza with a good shout for a shot at the title, Mousasi could be waiting a while.
“Now if I win, I’m going to have to put everything on the line again and if I win then maybe I’m next. And still maybe,” Mousasi said. “Because who knows what fight they’re going to make after this. Like I said, I deserve this. “Jacare” has deserved a shot already. Yoel Romero deserves his shot. Why aren’t we getting our title shots? What can I say. They’re just stalling or whatever. Now they’re saying GSP may not want to fight until January or whatever. Make GSP fight Anderson Silva. If they want to have a super fight, make GSP vs. Anderson.
“Even if GSP wins, he’s going to vacate the title. It’s as simple as that. He’s not going to defend against a top middleweight. He’s just looking for a fight and then he will go. He will go fight somebody else.”
Mousasi however doesn’t blame Michael Bisping for taking a big money fight against GSP.
“He’s got to do what’s good for him and his family. He’s going to try to make some money and retire. You cannot blame the guy who wants to make money and take care of the future of his family. You can’t blame the guy,” Mousasi explained about Bisping. “If I was to blame, I would blame the UFC for making those fights.
“They shouldn’t make those fights. Like I said, they should have made Anderson vs GSP because GSP hasn’t fought in three years and he’s never fought at middleweight. How can he get a title shot? It doesn’t make any sense. Make up different fights.”
The Weidman fight will be Mousasi’s last fight on his current UFC contract and knows a win will put him in a strong negotiating position.
“I just see that Vitor Belfort is making tons more money than me. I defeated Dan Henderson, he’s making tons more money than me. I defeated Mark Hunt. He’s making $800,000 a fight. I can beat Michael Bisping and even before he was champion he was making a lot more than me. Why don’t deserve to make some money? How is it possible Mark Hunt is making $800,000 with a record of 10-10? He has a record of 10 wins and 10 losses. Look at my record. How the [expletive] is that possible?” Mousasi said.
“It comes all down to this fight. That’s why I trained so hard for this fight. It’s not because I want to beat Chris Weidman. It’s because I need to get paid and I’m going to get paid. That’s what I’m going to do.
“I’m going to beat Weidman because he’s settled. I’m still hungry. I’m focused. I’ve worked hard for this fight just to finish the contract strongly,” Mousasi said.
“As they say — show me the money! First, I need to win and then I can have that.”
