Alan Jouban Says He’s Ready to Headline After UFC on FOX 22 Win

Alan Jouban spoke following his win over Mike Perry at UFC on FOX 22. Some highlights are below:

On Perry disrespecting him leading into the fight: “There are parts of me that really want to just give him a verbal lashing right now for the disrespect. I’ve never been – I never met the guy. I never did anything to the guy. I understand that he’s trying to make a name for himself, but there’s ways about it. There are ways when – you may be creating a Twitter beef that you’re trying to hype the fight. I understand that. But when you’re flipping me off at breakfast and my team, and making remarks in the lobby every time I see you, and we’re in a small hotel and you got your girlfriend there – and she’s being no better, man. She’s laughing at my face at all his stupid jokes. It made it very personal.”

On his desire to win this particular fight: “It wasn’t so much wanting to rub it in his face as much as it was; I just couldn’t allow myself to lose to somebody like that and have to go home and tell my son that I lost to the bully. I always tell him, ‘Dad stands up to bullies. I don’t tolerate bullies.’ And he asked me, ‘Dad, why did you try to kick that guy at the weigh-in?’ And I told him that, ‘Look, he’s a bully. We don’t tolerate bullies.’ It’s more so just getting the fight over with that feels good. I just wouldn’t have wanted to have that loss on my record knowing that this guy, this disrespectful guy, is the one who did it.”

On why he deserves to be ranked: “My first is against a UFC veteran – I get ‘Fight of the Night.’ Knockout. Since then, this is my eighth, ninth fight in the UFC. Three wins in a row, five out of my last six, three ‘Fight of the Night’ bonuses, three first-round knockouts, two standing elbow knockouts. I mean, I could just go on and on. Nobody in the division who’s not ranked is more deserving than me to be in the rankings. And if there’s anybody with equal amount of wins or so, they’re not doing with the type of style points that I’m doing…I want to see my name in the rankings next week. And I’m ready to headline. Give me the rankings, put me in those rankings, and let’s headline some cards, man. I’m ready to do it.”

On his style: “If traditionally winning fights isn’t doing it, then you have to have something else. And mine may not be talking trash, but I’m winning with style points, and I feel like that’s what’s giving me the advantage over the other people. I’m creating the knockouts, creating the ‘Fight of the Nights,’ doing fun stuff inside the octagon, and I’m the guys fans want to see fight. So I don’t talk trash, but I’m winning with style points, and that’s got to give me the edge over everybody else.”

On being willing to face Mickey Gall and Sage Northcutt: “I’m open to fighting – even though these guys aren’t top- 5 – like Mickey Gall (or) Sage Northcutt. Only because they’ve given these guys co-main events. Mickey Gall has got like two fights, and he’s in a co-main event. So I like both those guys, him and Sage, but if they’re the bigger names and if that’s what’s going to give me draw, to main event a card, or push me higher up the rankings, then I’m down to fight whoever.”