One thing that I have never liked about the UFC is how it more or less forces fighters to accept short-notice fights. I know there is no statement from the promotion that a fighter has to accept a short notice bout, but if you’re a fighter who is ranked No. 13 in the middleweight division and the UFC calls you to face the No. 4 ranked 185-pounder in a main event, the implication is that you should take that fight, even if you were preparing for a three-round fight.
That’s the position Marvin Vettori found himself in on Saturday when he stepped in to fight Jack Hermansson in the main event of UFC Vegas 16.