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UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber plans to talk to Dana White about the promotion’s treatment of top-ranked featherweight Josh Emmett at UFC 276.
Emmett (18-2), who is coached by Faber at Team Alpha Male in Sacremento, California, was in attendance for Saturday night’s event. The fighter earned the biggest win of his career in June by besting Calvin Kattar via split decision, and with his No. 4 ranking, he hopes to be the next 145-pound title challenger.
During the co-main event, current featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski put on a superb performance against his three-time foe Max Holloway, sweeping the judges’ scorecards (50-45, 50-45, 50-45).
Because Emmett is potentially next in line for Volkanovski, he and Faber were hoping he’d receive attention during the broadcast or post-fight show. However, he didn’t and Emmett feels disrespected that he was “ghosted” by the promotion.
“He had a really bad experience,” Faber said to the media on Sunday at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 2 grappling event via MMA Junkie. “He was put way back in the seating, not even with the rest of the guys and had to find his way by himself upstairs because they have peons working security that are getting paid minimum wage that are like, ‘Hey, you can’t come this way.’ He’s not a confrontational guy unless you’re paying him to beat someone up. He was really upset that there wasn’t more made of the fact that he’s the guy in line. I’m going to talk to Dana (White) about it and talk to Hunter (Campbell) and let them know that it’s really bulls***.
“(We got) ghosted. It’s really sad and his wife was livid, he was livid and he was just like, ‘What do I have to do to get a little bit of respect?’ So Dana, I hope you see this and understand that it’s Josh’s time.”
Emmett Told Faber He Wanted to Ask for His Release From the Promotion
According to “The California Kid,” the situation upset Emmett so much that he wanted to seek his release from the UFC.
“Last night he was like, ‘You know what, F this. I wish they’d just release me. I get no respect,’” Faber continued. “He’s like, ‘I think I’m going to drop down to ’35 and fight O’Malley cause that’s who’s getting all the credit.’ I’m like, ‘First off, it’s not going to be good for your body to drop all that weight. You’re right there knocking on the door, we just have to make it happen and I’m really sorry you had such a bad experience.’
“He literally, if you look at his Instagram posted a picture from the rafters cause he kept getting moved to the MMA basement because of a miscommunication. So that was really frustrating to find out in the aftermath.’”
Faber Said the UFC Doesn’t ‘Give a S***’ About Them
Emmett is on a five-fight win streak, which includes victories over the likes of Kattar, Dan Ige and Shane Burgos. He hasn’t tasted defeat since 2018 and to Faber, Emmett stands a great chance of knocking out Volkanovski.
But, after seeing how the UFC treated Emmett, Faber doesn’t think the UFC gives “a s*** about” them.
“I was super disappointed and Josh was also, on the fact that he wasn’t treated that great this last week,” Faber said. “We were expecting him to be there sideline. He’s beaten so many guys in dominant fashion, he’s had these major injuries and he needs that fight next, that 145-pound belt. He’s that guy that can match up with Volkanovski, that can pack a punch that puts people out cold with one punch.
“They need to choose to promote him a little bit more. They need to give him the right opportunities and just be present. Josh’s wife said, ‘Look, it’s very apparent where we stand with the UFC. They don’t give a sh*t about us.’ Which is a sh*tty feeling.”