Marshman Has Advice for Phillips: Make Weight and Beat Legit Guys

Marshman Has Advice for Phillips: Make Weight and Beat Legit Guys

UFC middleweight fighter Jack Marshman responds to being called out by fellow Welshman John Phillips, following his win over Magnus Cedenblad at UFC Fight Night Belfast.

Nov 30, 2016 by Jim Edwards
Marshman Has Advice for Phillips: Make Weight and Beat Legit Guys
What a few weeks it's been for UFC middleweight fighter Jack Marshman.

After making an incredible debut against Magnus Cedenblad at UFC Fight Night Belfast on November 19 and pocketing a cool $50,000 Performance of The Night bonus for his troubles, the Welshman has been lavishing in the glory of his first UFC win--or trying to at least.

No sooner had Marshman returned to his homeland, a fellow Welsh middleweight currently unsigned by the UFC was lighting up his social media timeline with call-outs.

John "The White Mike Tyson" Phillips trains under John Kavanagh at Straight Blast Gym Ireland in Dublin, and since Marshman's win, barely a day (or hour) has passed without Tyson sending some sort of message to Marshman or the UFC.

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Speaking to FloCombat on Wednesday, Marshman gave his thoughts on Phillips' antics. Suffice to say, he hasn't been impressed.

"Pfft, I don't know what to say to it. It doesn't make sense," Marshman said. "If he was signed to the UFC fair enough it does, but he's not. So I literally got nothing to say to him. It's not like I have a choice in it. I don't understand what he wants me to do about it."

Marshman (21-5) earned his way into the UFC the hard way, and it's been a long road to the top. When asked what his advice to Phillips would be, Marshman suggested Phillips should keep his head down and act more professionally.

"Everyone has their way of going about things, but in my own opinion I can't see the UFC responding too well to the antics he's pulling really," Marshman said. "If they do [sign him], then they do. My advice to him would be--make weight in your fights and actually beat some legit guys. Maybe then they will sign him, but until then, he's nothing to do with me or where I'm going.

"It makes no difference to me if they sign him or not. It's a little disrespectful if you ask me. I'm not Conor McGregor. I'm not a call-out type of guy. I'm basically a guy who just fights whoever the UFC matches me with. I'll fight anyone, and I don't mean that in a silly way. I mean that more in the way that I don't care, and let's honest here, I don't really have a say in the matter."

Having upset Cedenblad in Belfast, Marshman has his eyes set on a return next year in March at another venue close to home.

"I definitely want on that March 18 card in London--that's the one I want," Marshman said. "I assume that's what [ the UFC] want to put me on to. I've not heard nothing yet, but in my head that's what I'm preparing for.

"I'm resting up a few injuries, but by then I'll be ready and good to go."