Manny Gamburyan is preparing to battle Johnny Eduardo in a bantamweight division bout at UFC Fight Night 100, but after this contest, the TUF alumni may be dropping to flyweight.
“I started off with the career, and I never thought I could make 155 (pounds),” Gamburyan said to MMA Junkie. “And I made it. And then I made 145. And then they asked, ‘Manny, can you make 135?’ And I’m like ‘Hell, no.’ Then I made 135. Can I make 125? I don’t know. For the right money? I might kill myself. I might kill myself and make 125. Is it possible? They say, ‘Never say never.’”
Gamburyan is current 35 years old, which is where some fighters start nearing retirement. The thought of leaving MMA hasn’t crossed Gamburyan’s mind.
“It’s not about when you want to retire,” Gamburyan said. “It’s about when I feel like I can’t train the way I want to. You don’t have to ask me twice. I’ll hang my gloves. I’m 35, I feel good, I feel healthy, and I feel strong as hell. I don’t know how many years I have in me, but I feel good.”
One fight that Gamburyan has been wanting for quite some time is a showdown with Bryan Caraway, who is currently ranked #12 in the UFC bantamweight Division.
“Do I want to fight him?” Gamburyan said. “When I fought the first time at 135 (pounds), against Cody Gibson, they made me bring (former UFC bantamweight champion) Ronda Rousey in the cage and hugging her and calling out Bryan Caraway. I never got it. Beating Scott Jorgensen, I didn’t get it. And I’m like, ‘What the hell? What do I have to do to make this fight?’ People message me all over the world, ‘Manny, kick his ass.’ Talk to these people. It’s not my job. I called him out. I went to UFC.com, Ariel Helwani show, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, on his Facebook. What do you want me to do to call him out? He told (UFC matchmaker) Sean Shelby that he doesn’t want to fight me. And I respect that. You don’t want to fight me? I’m a bad fight for anyone. I’m not scared to fight anyone. You call my name out? You don’t have to ask twice. I’m fighting you.”
UFC Fight Night 100 takes place on Saturday, November 19 from the Ibirapueroa Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ryan Bader headlining.
