Vinny Magalhães in negotiation with the UFC
They say timing is everything, and Vinny Magalhães’ timing with the UFC was just a little off. He made it…
They say timing is everything, and Vinny Magalhães’ timing with the UFC was just a little off. He made it to the finals at TUF 8, losing only to Ryan Bader, and was offered a contract, but lost his first fight, to Eliot Marshall, and was released.
Vinny acknowledges he was not quite ready for prime time then, but now, having gone 7-1 since the cut, winning the last five fights in a row, winning all seven by stoppage, and taking the M-1 Global light-heavyweight championship in the process, he is ready.
Further, Magalhães wants way out of M-1 since he defending his title against Mikhail Zayats in October, and his opponent was cheered on and even coached by M-1 official Evgeni Kogan.
“The first thing I said when I heard about it was, ‘I’m never going to fight for these guys again,'” Magalhaes said. “A few months later, that’s still my thought.”
“We’re negotiating with the UFC right now,” said Steve Pacitti, one of his representatives. “There are others, but the UFC is certainly in line. The UFC is definitely attractive.”
“Being in the UFC would be a preference,” Magalhaes said. “But who knows. It’s whoever gives the best offer, and it’s not just about the money. It’s about the best deal offer overall. (With the UFC), it’s not just the money; it’s the recognition. … You can carry that for your life and open your gym and advertise yourself as a former UFC fighter. Just overall, it’s good for your career. The name just weighs that much more. Tell me one fighter who doesn’t want to be in the UFC. If he doesn’t want to be in the UFC, then he probably just doesn’t want to fight.”