There won’t be a second chance for would-be UFC fighter Brendan Loughnane, at least not anytime soon.
UFC president Dana White doubled down on his assessment of the U.K. featherweight’s performance last week on the Contender Series and invited critics to step up with a contract.
“If I’m wrong, he’s a free agent,” White told ESPN. “Somebody else can pick him up, and according to the people who are complaining about it, it must be a big score. So, go for it.”
Loughnane (17-3) was not offered a contract after a decision win over Bill Algeo (11-4) because, as White made clear, he shot for a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the fight. Loughnane later took to Twitter to counter White’s criticism over his last-second move, showing the physical results of 15 hard-fought minutes.
On Monday, a calmer Loughnane wished he hadn’t tried to grapple. He said he was trying to show that U.K. fighters could wrestle and thought a takedown would put him over on points. White’s demands, he said, were no longer a mystery.
“I just wish it was explained a little better that you better stand and bang, because I’ve got absolutely no problem doing that, as I’ve shown in all my other fights,” Loughnane said on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.”
White said there’s no ambiguity about what’s required of fighters to secure a UFC contract when they compete on the show.
“It’s not even go for the finish,” White said. “You’ve got 10 seconds left in the fight. Show us you want to win. Show us how bad you want it. There’s no question what this show is about.
“This isn’t Saturday night’s fights, and you’re in the UFC. I’m there, we’re watching, and we want to see what you’ve got. You don’t double-leg when the 10-second thing claps. That’s not what I’m looking for.
“This guy is talented. He’s a good fighter. He put on a good fight. He’s not what I was looking for that night. Period. End of story.”
White has taken the extra step of defending his stance on social media, too:
Despite his ire over being second-guessed, White eventually struck a more diplomatic stance toward Loughnane. He did not, however, budge on the reasons that prompted him to pass on offering the fighter a contract.
“I don’t want to sound negative,” he said. “He’s a great kid, and he definitely put on a good fight against a tough guy. And even in his interview, to be honest with you, afterward, (he said), ‘I fought a tough guy.’
“Then I got the guy, (Punahele Soriano), who’s swinging with everything he’s got to win this fight by knockout, and at the end of the fight, he cries because he didn’t finish the fight. Eh, I’ll go with that guy. That’s the guy I’m looking for.”
Given the attention on his most recent fight, Loughnane is likely to entertain offers from other promoters as he resumes free agency on a three-fight winning streak. But when it comes to a coveted contract in the UFC, White indicated he’s made a bet on Loughnane’s long-term potential. And he invites competitors to call his bluff.
“It’s not like I got this guy locked up, and he’s all locked up, and I didn’t take him,” White said. “He’s available to any other promoter in the world. So if I’m wrong, knock yourself out.”
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