Siver: How did McGregor get ranked above me?
Dennis Siver: “Conor McGregor for example. He ranks one spot above me now, even though him and his last opponent didn’t even have a spot in the top ten before.”
Russian-German UFC featherweight Dennis Siver recently switched places with Conor McGregor in the UFC top 10 rankings, and he is not impressed.
“As long as you are in the top ten you can get big fights anytime,” said Siver to groundandpound.de. “Some popular guy only needs to get injured and there you are. I need to concentrate on defending my spot now first and foremost. Some guys I don’t agree with have made it to the top ten lately.”
“Conor McGregor for example. He ranks one spot above me now, even though him and his last opponent didn’t even have a spot in the top ten before. It is not my job to judge on those things, the UFC decides and they decide based on your performance. His last fight was okay. What also surprises me, is that Frankie Edgar ranks number three right now. He beat BJ Penn, who has been out for two years. That was no competition. BJ has been a great fighter once, but when I saw that fight I couldn’t help but shaking my head.”
Siver has not fought in 2014, as he tested positive for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) at UFC 168 on December 28, 2013, and was suspended for nine months.
Siver next fights Scottish judoka Robert Whiteford on October, 4th at UFC Fight Night in Stockholm, Sweden, less than a week after his suspension ends. The UFC is likely giving Siver an easy fight, setting him up for a big fight at the next UFC Berlin in May of 2015.
“Of course, I’m not getting a world-class opponent right away,” said Siver. “I don’t want to insult him, but he simply lacks experience and has only two UFC fights under his belt. But I couldn’t say no to that fight, I don’t want to mess with the UFC. I won’t complain about my opponent. He suits for me to get back in there, after all I have been sidelined for nine months. If the fight goes well, I am ready for the big names again.”
“If I win in spectacular fashion, I am sure they will give me a big name from the top five right away. If it ends in a boring decision on the other hand, everything could take a lot more time.”