Las Vegas, NV — Uriah Hall see his main event fight against Sean Strickland at UFC Vegas 33 as another day on the job.
“It’s work. You know, you show up, you do your job, you get paid and you get out,” Hall said during Thursday’s media day, speaking to outlets including Cageside Press.
The main event spot doesn’t really add too much for Hall as far as the fight goes.
“Maybe to people that are watching but to the athletes you know, we just got to show up. Spectators, you’re the ones that are going to be thinking like that. Even hearing that question I’m like ‘What?’. I’ve never looked at it like that.”
Hall (17-9) is coming off a TKO win via doctor stoppage after Chris Weidman broke his leg after landing a kick on “Prime Time.”
“Well sh*t happens you know? It was unfortunate. I mean I checked it perfectly, I was taught to check the kick. He threw everything he had into it. You know, I felt bad. It was a sucky night. Leading up to that fight I wanted to get a crack at him. He was the first guy to beat me so there was a little bit of emotion there but at the same time one of those, ‘Alright we’re running it back’ let’s really see what’s going to happen. Our careers took different turns, he became champ, I became Ultimate Fighter dude and we kind of rerouted and ended up in that position,” Hall said about the Weidman fight.
“For it to happen the way it did, you know, it sucked. Again it goes back to people with their opinion ‘You can’t call that a win’. I checked the kick. You’re supposed to check the kick. But is it what it is.”
After trying to get a top 5 opponent Hall was presented with the Strickland fight.
“I mean, I’ve been trying to get a crack at the top 5 but there’s politics in this sport. It is what it is but I show up. I don’t remember ever calling out a sick day. The last time I should have called out I collapsed. I’m the guy that says ‘I’ll fight with a broken arm, with a missing leg because that’s a warriors mentality. We’re supposed to show up, there’s no sick days,” Hall said.
“Most of the people were booked. He might have been the only one left. On paper it didn’t really make sense because he’s ranked behind me but it’s business man.”
Hall is no stranger to Strickland. It is well know that he trained with his opponent years ago, early in their careers.
“Whether it was at Kings or Xtreme Couture. It was always a fight. With Sean it was always a fight. Like bro we’re here to spar. Yeah I just remember those wild times and I’m like ‘I can’t train with this dude’. But every time he would see me he’s like ‘Hey man let’s get some sparring’ and I’m like ‘It’s not happening bro.’”
Strickland (23-3) is coming off a decision win over Krzysztof Jotko in May and claimed #8 in the rankings to main event this weekend in Las Vegas, NV.
Watch the entire media scrum above and get more details about Hall’s thoughts on Strickland, what his opponent has said and his approach to the fight.
