John Lineker Condemns Superfights Saying Fighters Should Stay in Their Divisions

Georges St-Pierre just left the middleweight division in just a month after becoming champion. TJ Dillashaw is training right now to change weight classes and challenge Demetrious Johnson. Meanwhile, John Lineker is about to fight Jimmie Rivera and he’s not happy. He recently expressed his dislike over fighters jumping around and thinks they should stay where they are at. …Especially guys he wants to fight against.

“This business of challenging people in other divisions, I don’t like this. Every fighter has to stay quietly in his division and stay in his corner. But the UFC is now giving these opportunities to fight in other weight categories. Stagnation will not happen, because [TJ Dillashaw] still has the bantamweight belt. Either way, he’ll have to defend the title. But in my opinion, everyone should stay in their division instead of challenging people elsewhere to fight.”

.@johnlineker está confirmado no último #UFC de 2017! https://t.co/qiRpPWGmK8

— UFC Brasil (@ufc_brasil) November 21, 2017

“I believe I deserve a title shot if I win [against Jimmie Rivera at UFC 219]. I’ve been looking for this from the beginning of my career in the UFC and I think I’m ready. In fact, I don’t just think so, I’m sure that I’m ready. I had a loss against TJ Dillashaw, but I went back home and reviewed the mistakes. Sure enough, with a convincing win [against Jimmie Rivera], I think I deserve my opportunity to fight for the title. The fact that I lost to TJ Dillashaw and him being the current champion doesn’t get in the way [of a potential title shot] because it’s a fight. Every fight has its own story, so I want to beat Rivera and get my chance to fight for the title.” — John Lineker speaking to FloCombat. 

The timing of this really couldn’t be better, seeing as how Georges St-Pierre had his “superfight” with Michael Bisping, taking the title only to drop it a month later. However, it could be argued that it was big business and in the end St-Pierre left the division better off than when he abruptly debuted in it. John Lineker also admits he has an ulterior motive. He wants to fight TJ Dillashaw for the bantamweight strap if he beats Jimmie Rivera at UFC 219. Dillashaw going down for a superfight with Demetrious Johnson throws a wrench into those plans.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 12/8/2017