UFC slugger John Lineker is working at a pet shop while he waits for his longtime promoter to ring, according to his manager.
The Brazilian slugger ran out of patience and lashed out on Twitter when he saw recent opponent Corey Sandhagen booked a fourth time this year.
Despite a fight last month at UFC on ESPN+ 8, Lineker has fought just four times in the past 30 months. He said he’s struggling to make ends meet. In an interview with MMA Junkie translated by his longtime manager Alex Davis, Lineker said his message came “out of necessity” because his current situation is “unsustainable.”
“I’ve fought four times since 2016,” Lineker said. “I have five kids. I need to pay my bills. I cannot survive like this.”
Lineker said the promotion has been unresponsive as of late, and he’s not sure what he’s done to damage the relationship. He places the blame at the feet of UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby, who books fights in the bantamweight division.
“I don’t know if it’s something personal against me,” he said. “If it is, just tell me and let me go, because I have to fight. I have to move on. It’s my career. It’s my life. I can’t be stuck this way.”
Shelby declined comment when reached by MMA Junkie; the UFC typically doesn’t authorize matchmakers to speak on the record to media.
Davis said he’s not looking to start a fight with the promotion. At the same time, he accuses the UFC of favoring certain fighters over others.
“The reality is staring us in the face,” he said. “We’re in a situation where certain guys are getting accelerated and other guys aren’t. In his case, it’s not fair, because he’s a very exciting, dynamic, top-level fighter. He deserves better than this.”
Over 16 UFC appearances, Lineker, 28, has carved out a reputation as a knockout artist, winning four performance bonuses. He’s also repeatedly struggled to make weight, missing five times as a flyweight and bantamweight, and struggled with injuries. UFC President Dana White ordered him to compete at 135 pounds after coming in heavy four times as a flyweight.
Lineker isn’t sure whether his history is holding him back. But he said injuries shouldn’t be held against him.
“I’m a human being like everybody else,” he said. “I get hurt. I get sick. Things like that happen. I’m 28 years old. This is the way I feed my family. It happens with everybody.”
Davis said he recently lined up a jiu-jitsu match in July so Lineker can make a paycheck. Lineker has two fights remaining on his UFC contract. Davis declined comment on how long Lineker is obligated to his contract; deals are typically extended for six months in the event a fighter is injured.
The only recourse Lineker currently seeks is a return to work.
“Let me fight once every four months,” he said. “Let me fight three times a year. I think that’s only fair.
“I’ve always fought in the ring, but now I find myself in a fight outside the ring. I’m fighting for my career. I’m fighting for my legacy. I’m fighting for my life. I can’t wait. It has to be now. I need to change the situation. I need to fight.”
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