Is the UFC still utilizing Gregor Gillespie? According to the wrestler, he’s only waiting for the proper bout to come along.
When news broke earlier today that Gregor Gillespie had been removed from the voting registers for the UFC rankings, mixed martial arts fans were alarmed. Gillespie hadn’t fought since a TKO victory over Carlos Diego Ferreira in May of 2021 when he was ranked eighth in the lightweight division.
Gillespie is now out of the rankings, and some speculate that he might also be out of the UFC. According to the individual himself, this is not the case. Gregor resorted to social media to clarify the situation.
“Guys I’m STILL in the UFC. Relax I’ll explain,” Gillespie wrote on Instagram. “I love the UFC and contrary to what the haters say about them, the UFC has ALWAYS been more than good to me. Pay is great, everything super organized, the follow up after from medical staff is unbelievable, 100% class act top of the food chain.”
Gillespie explained that he was dropped from the rankings owing to inactivity, which he attributed to his refusal to face a lower-ranked opponent.
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“It is NOT [the UFC’s] fault – George Gillespie on being dropping from UFC Rankings
“It is NOT [the UFC’s] fault I have not had a fight,” Gillespie wrote. “They have offered me plenty of fights in the last year. I have accepted any and all of them against guys who were ranked ahead of me, (outside of the VERY short notice ones like 4-8 days) and conversely I have obviously turned down all of the ones of guys ranked behind me.”
“I am, and have been patiently waiting for the right fight, one that is going to push me toward the belt,” he wrote. “Since Ferguson turned it down like 100 f—kin times in the last yr, since Mikey Chandler didn’t seem too interested in fighting me when I brought it up, and since RDA just turned down the fight against me (WHICH I ACCEPTED BTW) I guess Beneil Dariush will have to do. I know you’re banged up and recovering big dawg, so just gimme a 8 week heads up and let’s do the thing.”
The UFC lightweight category is fiercely competitive, and everyone is aiming to come as close to the championship as possible. As a result, fighters like Gregor Gillespie find themselves on the outside looking in, unable to find anyone ready to face them lower in the rankings. Of course, Gillespie is unwilling to fight down, but he appears to recognize the irony and is content to wait till things settle down.
Also Read: Nate Diaz cranks up the pressure on UFC to book fight against Michael Chandler
