UFC on FOX 28's Josh Emmett aware of line for 145 pound title shot, but will gladly skip it

UFC on FOX 28's Josh Emmett aware of line for 145 pound title shot, but will gladly skip it
about 6 years in USA Today

“Fight of the Night?” Probable. “Fight of the Year?” Maybe. But Josh Emmett assures you that Saturday’s UFC on FOX 28 headliner

ORLANDO, Fla. – At first glance, competing in both a main and a co-main event spot only six UFC fights into a UFC career may seem like a quick rise. But for Josh Emmett, it’s been a long time coming.
Emmett (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) meets Jeremy Stephens (27-14 MMA, 14-13 UFC) this Saturday, at UFC on FOX 28, in what will be his first UFC headliner. It follows a career-changing upset knockout of former title challenger Ricardo Lamas, in a UFC on FOX 26 co-headlining spot that Emmett took on short-notice.
As far as filling the night’s prime spot goes, Emmett isn’t entirely out of his element. After all, while the UFC platform is much bigger, he previously had his share of headliners as the champion of West Coast FC.
It probably helps, too, that whatever success Emmett is now enjoying hasn’t exactly happened overnight.
“It’s been quick from a UFC standpoint, but I’ve been grinding with the best team in the world, Team Alpha Male, for over a decade,” Emmett said after open workouts ahead of UFC on FOX 28. “People did not know that until my last fight. I’ve been there since the beginning, since Urijah opened this gym. I see everyone come in become title challengers, champions, No. 1 contenders, Hall of Famers, and I know where I stack up.
“I’ve been everyone’s main training partner for such a long time. It’s been under two years since I’ve been in the UFC, but I’m here. It’s my time, and I will get that title soon.”
And by “soon,” he means it. As he’d said shortly after his huge win over Lamas, Emmett wasn’t really anxious to take another short-notice call. But, as someone who’s had risk-taking pay off big in the past, he saw yet another golden opportunity against an exciting veteran who’s coming off two big wins of his own.
The featherweight bout headlines Saturday’s FOX-televised main card at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. Early prelims stream on UFC Fight Pass, followed by additional preliminary card fights on FOX.
If he’s able to beat Stephens, Emmett argues, neither the UFC nor the fans can “deny me my next fight will be for the title.” But, with ex-lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and contender Brian Ortega set to meet at UFC 222, Emmett clarifies exactly what that means.
“I’m not saying with a big win over Stephens I fight for the title next,” Emmett said. “I know they’re going to fight and most likely one of them will fight (Max) Holloway for the title. I want the winner of that fight. Unless I go out there and have a great performance and maybe they don’t perform as much and for some reason (UFC president Dana White) and the matchmakers think I should get that title shot, then trust me I’ll gladly take that.”
That involves interesting dynamics. As someone who trains in a team that produces some of the world’s leading lighter fighters, Emmett is surrounded by men who are not too far off the featherweight title picture. Darren Elkins, for instance, has followed his recent sixth straight win with his own call for a No. 1 contender fight.
Emmett says he hasn’t had this particular conversation with Elkins yet. But, while “kind of crazy,” he doesn’t think having that type of competition within his own team is that bad of a thing.
“Chad Mendes is coming back soon (Mendes is serving a two-year suspension and will be eligible to return in June), he’ll be right in the mix,” Emmett said. “Darren is in the top-10. I’m in there now. Andre Fili just broke in the top-15, he’ll be in the top-10 soon. I guess it’s not a bad problem to have with some of the best guys in the world from Team Alpha Male in the Top-10.”
Would he be willing to fight them, though?
“I’m not going to fight my friends or teammates, so we’re just racing to that title shot,” Emmet said. “But you never know. If there’s a No. 1 contender and one of us is the champion, then you never know. We do it every day, so what the hell.”
Take what you will from that answer. In any case, that is a problem for the future. For now, Emmet has his eyes on Stephens.
“In the best-case scenario, I wish I could go out there and the first punch I land, it’s over,” Emmett said. “But, realistically, it’s probably not going to happen. So I will be prepared for a 25-minute battle, 25-minute war. It will be ‘Fight of the Night.’ It could be a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate. But it’s going to be a fight for the ages, trust me.”
To hear from Emmett, check out the video above.
And for more on UFC on FOX 28, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

Dec 16, 2017; Winnipeg, Manitoba, USA; Josh Emmett reacts after defeating Ricardo Lamas during UFC Fight Night at Bell MTS Place. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 16, 2017; Winnipeg, Manitoba, USA; Ricardo Lamas fights Josh Emmett during UFC Fight Night at Bell MTS Place. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 16, 2017; Winnipeg, Manitoba, USA; Josh Emmett reacts after defeating Ricardo Lamas during UFC Fight Night at Bell MTS Place. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 16, 2017; Winnipeg, Manitoba, USA; Josh Emmett defeats Ricardo Lamas during UFC Fight Night at Bell MTS Place. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 21, 2017; Gdansk, Poland; Josh Emmett (blue gloves) arrives for his fight against Felipe Arantes during UFC Fight Night at Ergo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 21, 2017; Gdansk, Poland; Felipe Arantes (red gloves) fights Josh Emmett (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ergo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 21, 2017; Gdansk, Poland; Josh Emmett (blue gloves) reacts to his win over Felipe Arantes during UFC Fight Night at Ergo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

Apr 8, 2017; Buffalo, NY, USA; Josh Emmett (red gloves) competes against Desmond Green (blue gloves) during UFC 210 at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

December 17, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Josh Emmett (red gloves) fights Scott Holtzman (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

December 17, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Josh Emmett (red gloves) fights Scott Holtzman (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Golden 1 Center. Emmett defeated Holtzman via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

December 17, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Josh Emmett (red gloves) fights Scott Holtzman (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports