Gian Villante is actually thrilled to be at UFC Moncton, rather than with friend and training partner Chris Weidman at UFC 230 in New York next week. And the reason why shouldn’t surprise you.
Moncton, NB — Gian Villante returns to the octagon this weekend at UFC Moncton, just one week before the UFC heads to his native New York. And while good buddy Chris Weidman is a big part of that card, Villante, who hails from Long Island, is actually glad he’s not part of this year’s Madison Square Garden affair.
Villante explained why during Thursday’s UFC Moncton media day. There, he revealed that he’s also expecting Ed Herman to be the answer to his prayers. Or at least the answer to his desire for someone that will stand and trade with him.
“I think Ed’s a guy that likes to fight. We’ll exchange, and if we exchange, I just know I hit harder, land the harder shot, and hopefully finish the fight,” Villante said of his opponent at UFC Moncton.
“Guys have been running a little bit, playing that strategic game of hitting and leaving, hitting and leaving, just getting the hell out,” Villante said of his more recent foes. “Hopefully this is one where we can trade a little bit, actually bite down and throw, get a nice win.”
“He’s been in the UFC a long time,” Villante later added. “Having a job that long in the UFC isn’t easy, man. You see a lot of guys come into the UFC and they’re out in two fights, three fights. He’s a guy that’s been in the UFC probably more than ten years now. Long time. Have to give a guy credit, who can do that.”
The key, however, is that “he’s not scared to stand and bang with you.”
There’s clearly no hard feelings between the two, with Villante adding that he admires Herman. That said, he’d rather be fighting Herman in Moncton than in New York.
“New York’s kind of tough for me, man, with all the distractions of being home and all that stuff,” Villante explained. “Sometimes it’s fun, and this and that, but after a couple of New Yorks in a row now where none of the decisions have gone my way in close fights — if I’m in Brazil, and I’m Brazilian, I’m definitely getting a decision. If you’re in New York, and you’re a New Yorker, I guess you’re definitely not getting a decision — it’s like there’s no home field advantage. Nothing. I don’t know. It wasn’t fun, fighting in New York. I feel like the judges are the worst to me, I don’t know why.”
So there you have it. New York’s loss is Moncton’s gain. “I’d like to see them do another Long Island card,” Villante added, expressing interest in getting on that. And while he won’t be fighting in New York, he’ll still be there. “I’m going to be cornering Chris Weidman for that fight, so I’ll be with him all week.”
Catch the full media day press scrum with Gian Villante ahead of UFC Moncton above. The event takes place Saturday, October 27 at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick. The card airs live on Fox Sports 1 (TSN 5 in Canada).
