It’s the season of giving! And Jimmie Rivera keeps on being given news of opponents dropping out of his UFC 219 fight. At first, he was supposed to fight former Bantamweight king, Dominick Cruz. That was until Cruz suffered a broken arm in training resulting in his drop off the card. In to replace Cruz stepped fellow top 5er at 135, John Lineker. Then just the other day, Lineker had to undergo emergency surgery for a tooth infection which has also pulled, no pun intended, Lineker from the Rivera fight. Now we’re here. Rivera stated after the news was broke that he was willing to face former WSOF Bantamweight king, Marlon Moraes who has been wanting to fight Rivera for some time now.
I accept the fight with @MMARLONMORAES and even give him two pound allowance at 138lb #merrychristmas #ufc219
— Jimmie Rivera (@JimmieRivera135) December 25, 2017
I accept the fight with @MMARLONMORAES and even give him two pound allowance at 138lb #merrychristmas #ufc219
Today they’ve gone back and forth a bit on Twitter trying to set up and agree to terms for a fight on Saturday.
.@MMARLONMORAES @ufc pic.twitter.com/mZEQrAGSir
— Jimmie Rivera (@JimmieRivera135) December 25, 2017
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“Morning everybody, merry Christmas. We’re in Vegas right now, obviously. Supposed to be fighting at UFC 219, I get a text this morning that Marlon can’t make 138 so let’s fight at 140 then. We can get the fight, get the fans what they want.
Marlon let’s do the fight at 140, you said you want to fight, got to be professional, i’ve given you four pounds, 140. Let me know.”
Three hours after that video from Rivera, it appears that that wasn’t enough weight as Rivera tweeted out this:
I give you 5 extra fucking pounds and you can’t make weight? @MMARLONMORAES you still say no to the fight. Five extra pounds. And this after you say you want to fight me.
— Jimmie Rivera (@JimmieRivera135) December 25, 2017
I give you 5 extra fucking pounds and you can’t make weight? @MMARLONMORAES you still say no to the fight. Five extra pounds. And this after you say you want to fight me.
Which led to a public response from Moraes’ manager, Ali Abdelaziz then Moraes himself.
Shut up punk Stop playing games with the fan you not too smart
— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) December 25, 2017
Shut up punk Stop playing games with the fan you not too smart
Merry Christmas everybody! @JimmieRivera135 now you fight on my terms. You turn down fight with me two times now I’m ready to fight you buddy on my terms not your terms I’m going to remind you of old memories you know what I’m sayin @danawhite @seanshelby @Mickmaynard2 pic.twitter.com/PWQJn0dikM
— Marlon Moraes (@MMARLONMORAES) December 25, 2017
Merry Christmas everybody! @JimmieRivera135 now you fight on my terms. You turn down fight with me two times now I’m ready to fight you buddy on my terms not your terms I’m going to remind you of old memories you know what I’m sayin @danawhite @seanshelby @Mickmaynard2
“Hey, Jim. How are you, buddy? Merry Christmas, you are very funny, man. You wanted me to fight you on your terms, you’re going to fight me on my terms, man. You know that, why you being so big, man? You scared to get knocked out? Bro, if you’re scared to get knocked out by Lineker imagine it by me. You got no chance. You know my terms just sign the paper and the fans are going to see who’s who and you’re going to remember me. You know what I can do and you’re going to see that soon. See you soon, buddy.”
This prompted the most recent response from Rivera, who sounds like he just wants to fight no matter what at this point.
Alright let’s do it, 145lb sign the contract. @MMARLONMORAES
— Jimmie Rivera (@JimmieRivera135) December 25, 2017
Alright let’s do it, 145lbs sign the contract. @MMAMARLONMORAES
Moraes is just recently coming off of a super impressive sixty-seven-second knockout over the formerly never finished, Aljamain Sterling.
So will this fight end up happening? What do you think? Who do you think wins if or when it happens?
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 12/25/2017