Video: UFC 163's Ian McCall offers advice to 'dork' Johnson: 'Be cooler'

Ian McCall (11-4-1 MMA, 0-2-1 UFC) likes to take momentary steps away from the drain of strategizing, and in advance of his fight at UFC 163 against Iliarde Santos (27-1-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), he’s got some advice for flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson.

It’s direct: Be cooler. 

“He’s a dork, man,” McCall told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “He’s a great athlete, don’t get me wrong. He’s just socially awkward. 

“But he’s getting better, and I say this as advice, because it would help his career and make him more money and fans would like him more.”

UFC 163 takes place Saturday at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. McCall vs. Santos opens the FX-televised preliminary-card in advance of main card fights on pay-per-view. 

Johnson undoubtedly won over the crowd this past Saturday at UFC on FOX 8, where he earned the first stoppage of his title reign by tapping out John Moraga in the fifth round of their title fight. UFC President Dana White awarded the champ a “Submission of the Night” bonus and said true fight fans will get behind what he does in the octagon. 

The event, however, reportedly drew the lowest overall ratings of the UFC’s live events on FOX, despite winning key young male demographics. 

There are observers who say that no matter who is at the top of the lighter-weight divisions, big ratings and pay-per-views go to bigger men. While that or may not be the case, McCall said it couldn’t hurt to have someone with that “it” factor holding the belt. 

That, he said, is him, or Joseph Benavidez, who Johnson beat to win the flyweight title. 

McCall said he and Benavidez have a likability that might help people to care about the little-man class and thus get it more attention on the pay-per-view stage. 

Dodson and Johnson, he said, are the kind of fighters people love to hate. 

“I’m not sure why people don’t like [Johnson],” McCall said. “He’s a super nice guy. I’m a spiteful, snide prick. But that’s just how it works, I guess.”

Unfortunately, like Benavidez, McCall lags behind Johnson in a key area: the cage. The two fought to a draw in the opening round of a four-man tournament to determine the UFC’s inaugural flyweight champion, and Johnson bested him on points in a rematch three months later. 

So until “Uncle Creepy” gets into title contention, he’s only offering an armchair opinion. But that could change with a few wins, as a relatively shallow pool of flyweight competitors makes the trip from the division’s bottom to top much quicker. 

“He’s ever-evolving, but so am I,” McCall said. “I’m in the gym all the time now. He is getting better, but I think I showed the world that I’m better. I just have to perform. I know I can get him. I just have to earn it.” 

So on comes Santos, who is a healthy underdog despite McCall’s 0-2-1 record in the UFC. 

“That’s a first,” McCall said. “People usually think I’m going to lose. Odds are silly, but yeah, I’m going to beat the crap out of this guy. 

“I’m on point right now. I’m on fire, finally. I actually got my ass together for once in the UFC. I’m going to hurt this guy. I want to submit him. That’s my goal, but if I can finish him before then, so be it.”

Now, McCall is working on bringing parity to his skills and his charm. 

“I’m a troublemaker, man,” he said. “I’ve never not been in shape for a fight. But it’s just me outside of fight life outside the gym. Literally now, if my coach says, ‘Take the night off,’ I’m in the gym coaching, I’m not chasing ass, or something I would usually do. I got over the fact of looking for someone else for help instead of myself.”

For more on UFC 163, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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