Podcast: Ian McCall on Scoggins beef and if CM Punk will win - MMA Plus

Ian McCall at UFC Dublin weigh-ins. Photo Jorden Curran.

Ian McCall featured on The Mind Diet podcast ahead of his fight at UFC 203 and he had plenty to say about previously scheduled competitor, ‘young dumb kid’ Justin Scoggins.

32-year-old McCall was expected to face Scoggins at UFC 201 on July 30, however the fight was pulled at the last minute after McCall’s opponent failed to make weight.

Despite the fight failing to materialise, McCall spoke candidly on The Mind Diet podcast about how he himself didn’t even expect to make it to UFC 201.

“I signed my last fight what four months ago probably, fight months ago?” said McCall, “and I did not think that my body was going to make it through a training camp. I signed the dotted line thinking ‘ah I’ll probably get injured and whatever’.”

However, working with mind coach Vinny Shoreman, as well as highly regarded Team Oyama, “Uncle Creepy” credited his new training regime to his continued health.

“I made it through with flying colours. My coaches, we all sat down and we put a whole [plan] together and we said ‘listen this is training, we don’t deviate from this system’.

“All my coaches talk, we do everything all under one roof, my training has tapered back a good amount. I’m in incredible shape but the training camps are way easier, way, way easier.”

Although he was unable to compete, the UFC still paid McCall his show and win money, a welcomed surprise for the California native. He also went on to explain why he didn’t compromise with the UFC and take the fight with 24-year-old Scoggins.

“They paid me more money than I expected. They paid me my full show money, all my win money, they paid me my sponsorship money. They made sure I got everything which is awesome. I’ve been screwed before from people cutting weight. I think they knew I wasn’t going to go ‘yeah sure, i’ll still fight’, I said no, the guy is like eight pounds over weight, he’s not even trying to make the weight. He literally doesn’t give a shit, he doesn’t care.”

He concluded: “He’s just acting like a young dumb kid, I can’t be mad at him or whatever.”

After just 42 days since he missed the chance to compete, McCall will finally get the opportunity to fight in the Octagon for the first time since January 31, when he faces Ray Borg at UFC 203.

A win for McCall will likely catapult him into a title eliminator against Wilson Reis at 125lbs, with champion Demtrious Johnson waiting on the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 24.

Regardless of his drawing power as one of the promotion’s top Flyweights, McCall finds himself on the Fox Sport prelims, with CM Punk’s UFC debut against Mickey Gall instead getting the PPV treatment.

This however, doesn’t really bother him. Although predicting Punk (Phil Brooks) will probably lose, McCall applauded the extra eyes the former WWE Superstar will bring to the UFC product.

“Phil’s a nice guy and it’s going to get our card a lot of attention, it’s going to get our sport a lot of attention. Realistically it’s going to put a lot of eyes on us.

“Is he going to win? I don’t think so. Mickey Gall is a good young fighter, Mickey Gall is no joke. CM Punk, more than likely is going to get his ass kicked. More than likely.”

To hear more about McCall’s troubled past, his struggling mindset when he fought Mighty Mouse and more, you can listen to the full episode of The Mind Diet 105 with Ian McCall below.

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