If John Lineker is to be believed, then six fighters balked at the chance to face him at UFC Sao Paulo.
Lineker is set to clash with Marlon Vera this Saturday night (Oct. 28) inside the Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The bout will be featured on the main card of UFC Fight Night 119.
Speaking to Combate, Lineker said Vera stepped up to the plate when many fighters refused to throw down (via Bloody Elbow):
“My manager named several athletes I could fight. Some of them turned me down, some didn’t. Many ran away, actually, so I didn’t have much of a choice. I’m thankful Marlon and his team took the fight. All I can do is thank him for taking a fight that others wouldn’t. I won’t name any names, but there was half a dozen of them who declined fighting me in Brazil.”
He went on to say that he wanted a bout quickly due to his inactivity from a jaw injury.
“I needed a fight as soon as possible. I was cleared in June, so I was inactive for a long time, that’s really bad for an athlete. I need to fight, no matter who it was against. Thank God Marlon accepted it.”
