A handful of MMA fighters want to sign to the big show after UFC 319.
Last weekend, the biggest fight of the year took place between champion Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev who met five rounds for the middleweight title.
Chimaev ultimately dominated du Plessis to a unanimous decision victory, taking home the championship on Saturday night.
The UFC 319 main card saw winners Carlos Prates and Lerone Murphy ask UFC boss Dana White to sign their teammates to the premier promotion, but instead they received performance bonuses for their spinning elbow knockouts.
Here’s who was asking to be signed by the UFC over the weekend.
Carlos Prates campaigns for teammate to join him at UFC Rio
Following his win over Geoff Neal, top welterweight Prates used his time in his post-fight interview to ask White cageside if he’d sign his teammate Marcos Degli.
Degli holds a pro record of 13-3 and is the reigning LFA interim flyweight champion.
“11 [fight] win streak. Best pound-for-pound in Brazil,” Prates said of Degli.
“Let us fight in Rio,” Prates suggested the Oct. 11 UFC card in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Prates will likely get his wish, but time will tell for his teammate Degli.
Lerone Murphy says Jordan Barton deserves to be in the UFC
Murphy took Prates’ approach, in his finish and his interview.
Post-fight, Murphy concluded his interview by shouting his teammate, FNC Featherweight Champion Jordan Barton (10-3-1).
“My teammate Jordan Barton here has been my hardest sparring partner for every camp,” Murphy told Joe Rogan.
“He deserves to be in the UFC,” Murphy said of Barton.
“European champion… Get him on Contender Series, please!” Murphy added.
Tim Elliott hopes to re-sign with UFC
‘The Ultimate Fighter 24’ winner Tim Elliott picked up his tenth UFC win on Saturday over former RIZIN Bantamweight Champion Kai Asakura.
The two-stint UFC veteran says he still has one more fight left on his UFC contract and isn’t planning on going anywhere.
“I have one more left on my contract, but I’m ready to renegotiate right now,” Elliott said at the UFC 319 post-fight press conference.
Elliott has won four out of his last five fights. UFC 319 was his first win in over 600 days.
Emmanuel Sanchez ready for short-notice UFC opportunity
Two-time Bellator title challenger and APFC Champion Emmanuel Sanchez wants in on the UFC.
Sanchez has never fought in the Octagon, having competed under the Bellator banner 20 times in the last decade.
Sanchez notably challenged Bellator GOAT and current UFC contender Patricio Pitbull for the featherweight title twice, but was unsuccessful both times.
Winner of four of his last six fights, the 35-year-old Sanchez says he’s staying ready for a short-notice UFC opportunity.
“I’m always in fight mode,” Sanchez wrote on Instagram on Sunday.
“It’s just part of who I am. I’m built & wired for action, that’s my normal setting.
“Let’s give the people what they paid to see. Always ready,” Sanchez added.
Jacob Silva posed retirement ultimatum to UFC
Flyweight veteran Jacob Silva retired from MMA on Sunday night following a title win over Paris Moran at Fury FC 107.
Silva went 0-2 on Dana White’s Contender Series against ex-UFC fighters Jeff Molina and JP Buys and he never had the opportunity to fight in the Octagon again.
Silva exchanged wins and losses fighting top competition on the regional scene before extending his win streak to three last weekend.
Taking off the gloves for what’s likely the last time, the 37-year-old Silva said he’d be retiring if he wasn’t signed to the UFC or given another chance on Contender Series.