Neil Magny picked up a big win at UFC Columbus as he edged out a split decision win over Max Griffin.
Magny extended his win streak to two and is 5-1 in his last six. He remains a top-10 welterweight and even before this fight, he had been calling out Khamzat Chimaev and was one of the few fighters vocal about wanting to face him. Even though the Swede is booked against Gilbert Burns, Magny says that is still a fight he wants in his career but is just focused on getting a top-five opponent.
“At first it kind of was and I was like, ‘I want a ranked opponent. I want this, I want that,’” Mangy said backstage after UFC Columbus. “But then life itself is my biggest motivator. I looked at myself in the mirror and said, ‘Who the f*ck do you think I am?’ I have a son to provide for and I have a family to provide for. I can’t go out there and be choosy. I have to go out there and get it done. I have a family. I can’t just sit there and wait.”
Neil Magny could very well get a top-five opponent as he says, or possibly get the Chimaev fight in the very near future. However, even though he has the goal of fighting a top-five guy, Magny won’t be holding out for that as he wants to be as active as possible.
“I definitely want that top-five guy right away, but at the end of the day I can’t wait for them,” Mangy explained. “I’ve seen crazier things happen. Just a couple of weeks ago Islam fought a guy who wasn’t ranked in Bobby Green and he moved up one ranking spot. So if I have to fight whoever the UFC throws at me and move up one by one and find myself in the top five, so be it. I’ll do it. I just have to keep showing up over and over again.”
