Al Iaquinta Says He Now Has A Good Working Relationship With UFC
Al Iaquinta has always been outspoken regarding his often strained relationship with the UFC and has never been shy about publicly challenging the promotion, especially regarding issues with his pay.
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In early 2018, it looked like Iaquinta would be exiting the UFC after public spats about what he thought he was worth before the promotion gave him a new contract believed to be close to triple his previous one.
Iaquinta helped the UFC out of a bind last April at UFC 223 after
he agreed to step in to fight Khabib
Nurmagomedov in just a days’ notice after the Dagestani’s
previous replacement opponent, Max
Holloway was forced to pull out of the fight after a failed
weight cut. Despite losing the fight, Iaquinta’s stock was at an
all-time high in the promotion’s eyes.
“Ragin Al” then put on arguably his most impressive performance at the end of last year where he outpointed the very dangerous Kevin Lee at UFC on Fox 31 in December. The impressive win catapulted Iaquinta into the upper echelon of the 155-pound division and he was rewarded with a fight against Cerrone this weekend.
Iaquinta, who balances a successful real estate business with his fighting career, said he’s happy with where his working relationship is now with the UFC after some rough years (via MMANews.com).
“I’m definitely just happier I think in general,” Iaquinta said. “I’ve got a good rapport with Hunter Campbell and Sean Shelby. I went out to the Performance Institute and got some great training out there. I met with those guys, my father came out and we had a nice dinner together.
“We understand each other a lot better now and I think they understand my gripes and I think they’re doing their best to make me happy,” he added. “I know what they expect out of me and I’m doing my best to make them happy. It’s a good working relationship.”
Iaquinta came up short against the Nurmagomdeov, but said the experience showed the fans what he was capable of with only limited time to compete against arguably one of the best fighters on the planet.
“I needed that for everybody to see what I’m really made of and I put in the work to rise to the occasion in a situation like that,” Iaquinta said. “I was confident that I was going to go in there and win that fight. I was one punch away from really shaking things up. I was thrust into that thing pretty quickly and it’s something I’m focused on getting back and doing it the right way.”
Iaquinta said he respects his opponent Cerrone ahead of this weekend’s bout and has been impressed by some of his recent performances against top opposition.
“The ranking really doesn’t mean much. Everyone knows where he’s at and where he’s been and who he is and he’s just as dangerous as everybody in the top five,” Iaquinta said. “I think he’s got win over some great guys. That fight with Leon Edwards, that was a close fight and that guy has been tearing through everybody. Mike Perry is a tough out for anybody. He made that last guy look how he should have made him look. He’s up there for sure.”
Iaquinta knows a win against Cerrone definitely helps his chances of getting another shot at the title and he could be first in line to challenge the winner of the unification bout between Nurmagomedov and interim champion Dustin Poirier with a convincing performance over “Cowboy.”
“The division is going to shake out until September. It’s going to be whoever emerges, who has dominant performances and who the fans want to see in that spot,” Iaquinta said. “I think the fans respect the body of work I’ve put together over the last couple of years and the way that I handle myself, I think I resonate with the fans.
“I think the UFC is behind me, too. I think the UFC believes in me and I’m a performing member of the squad.”
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