LAS VEGAS – While a handful of UFC middleweight contenders all believe they have a case for why they’re most deserving of a crack at the title, Marvin Vettori believes his is undeniable.
“I’m next because these guys can’t make it, man,” Vettori told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s UFC on ABC 2 media day at the UFC Apex. “Like, by default I need to take their spot. You’re not there to defend your spot. You’re not there to defend anything.
“Like you’ve got that pen on that table. If you’re not there and you’re supposed to be there to defend that pen, and I’m coming, I’m taking the pen. You’re not there to defend it.”
It’s a rather simple concept, but one that has some merit. After all, Vettori was supposed to fight Darren Till at this weekend’s event, but a broken collarbone forced his opponent to withdraw from the card.
It’s a situation with which Vettori has become all too familiar in his march to the top of the UFC’s middleweight division.
“I guess now this became almost normal,” Vettori said. “Like, this is more normal than actually having a fight with the same opponent – showing up and finding the same opponent that you were supposed to fight. But yeah man, a little adjustment has been done and I’m ready to go, and at the end of the day, I don’t care who’s who’s going to be in front of me, you know? I’m ready, and this time I knew I was going to fight five rounds, so iI prepared for five rounds, and the rest will be history.”
Vettori (16-3-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) now faces Kevin Holland (21-6 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in the headlining bout of Saturday’s card, which airs on ABC following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+ from the UFC Apex.
Holland has recently endured heavy criticism following a subpar performance against Derek Brunson, but Vettori said he was willing to fight any ranked opponent, regardless of perceived momentum.
“People don’t realize, but there’s a lot of work going behind the
fight, and like, it’s not just my work – it’s all my teamwork, like Kings MMA work,” Vettori said “I need to give back to these people, too.”
Should he prove victorious, Vettori will put his name alongside the likes of former champion Robert Whittaker and recent title challenger Paulo Costa – not to mention contenders Jared Cannonier and Brunson – as fighters who believe they deserve a crack at UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
But Vettori thinks his activity level and willingness to fight frequently make him the clear choice – a claim he plans on cementing on Saturday.
“At the end of the day, I think it’s more about the performance that I’m going to put on than than the opponent,” Vetori said. “Like Derek Brunson got pushed up so high in the rankings by beating this guy in like not even in a great way, so I go out and I do me, and you know I’m going to be right there next in line, I think.”
To see the full interview with Vettori, check out the video above.
Marvin Vettori says he is No. 1 contender by default: ‘You’re not there to defend your spot’
