Ricky Simon eyes eventual rematch with champ Merab Dvalishvili\u00a0after UFC Atlanta
Ricky Simon eyes eventual rematch with champ Merab Dvalishvili after UFC Atlanta
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UFC on ESPN 69: Ricky Simon post-fight interview
UFC on ESPN 69 winner Ricky Simon talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight after his decision victory over Cameron Smotherman in Atlanta.
ATLANTA – Ricky Simon met the media Saturday after his unanimous decision win over Cameron Smotherman at UFC on ESPN 69.
Simon (22-6 MMA, (10-5 UFC) outworked Smotherman (12-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in a fight largely contested in tight quarters. Simon controlled more than 9 minutes of the fight and had a pair of 30-27 scorecards in his win.
Simon had to deal with a short-notice opponent change after Charles Jourdain had to drop out.
"Ultimately, the goal is to be a UFC world champion – I don't really care who they throw at me," Simon told MMA Junkie at his post-fight news conference. "I don't know what their plan is, but I think there could be a lot of fights that make sense, for sure, whether it's right outside the top 15 or making that climb back in.
"… I usually like to get a name and throw it out there, but with the busy week with the opponent switch-up and trying to dial in on what I wanted to do, I didn't really pay too much attention to that one."
But one name on Simon's resume that stands out, without question, is that of the current bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili. Simon was involved in a unique finish with the champ more than seven years ago when he choked him unconscious as the fight ended – giving him, officially, a technical submission win literally at the 5-minute mark of the final round.
A rematch, Simon thinks, would be interesting.
"It's awesome to see Merab's success and how comfortable he is being the champion and being as dominant as he has been. But it just gives me all the confidence in the world, because I've fought a lot of the best guys in the world – the champ included. It keeps me true to it. I know where I belong.
"The UFC wanted to make that rematch before he ever even fought for the title when I was top 10 and he was 4 or 5 or something. I don't blame him – it didn't make sense for him to fight back (in the rankings) at the time. But that would be sick (to fight him again), a full-circle moment for sure."
Check out Simon's post-fight news conference in the video above.
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