"I don't think it's fair" - Li Jingliang issues heartfelt statement after having "sacrificed a lot" for UFC 279
Li Jingliang issued a heartfelt statement following his controversial split decision loss against Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 279. The Chinese welterweight claimed that he was on the receiving end of the turmoil after other fighters wrecked the fight card.
Jingliang was originally scheduled to fight Tony Ferguson in a 170-pound co-main event. However, Khamzat Chimaev missed the welterweight limit for his headlining fight against Nate Diaz, which forced the UFC to make some late switches.
With that, 'The Leech' ended up facing Rodriguez, who weighed in almost 10 pounds heavier than Jingliang for his planned catchweight bout against Kevin Holland.
Speaking on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, a desolate Li Jingliang issued a heartfelt statement:
"I did everything I should do. I made weight and I was ready for the fight. They [other fighters] missed weight, they fought in the backstage, why did they let me take this responsibility and changed my opponent? I don't think it is fair."
'The Leech' added that he had to make several sacrifices to be part of the UFC 279 card:
"You know, September 10th is the mid-autumn festival in China. It's a festival we celebrate with all the family. And during that day, I was here preparing for the fight far away from my family. So I sacrificed a lot to put everything into this fight."
Watch the full interview below:
Li Jingliang dons a "Robbed!" T-shirt, demands explanation from the judges after controversial loss to Daniel Rodriguez
Li Jingliang had a rollercoaster fight week. His original opponent Tony Ferguson went on to face Nate Diaz, while Jingliang ended up facing Daniel Rodriguez in an unprecedented card shuffle.
Jingliang obliged to the chaos that ensued and put on a resolute performance against a bigger opponent in 'D-Rod'. However, two out of the three judges scored the fight in the favor of his American opponent.
The MMA community came out in support of Jingliang, with some going as far as to label the loss a 'robbery'. UFC president Dana White echoed the same sentiment at the post-fight press conference.
The Chinese welterweight demanded an explanation from the judges during his interview with Helwani:
“Of course I think I won the fight. When Bruce Buffer declared a result, I couldn’t believe that. It’s already an awful matchup, and the result was worse. And I think it's just injustice. I can accept a loss, that’s fine. But please tell me why, why I lost the fight? Please, the three judges, tell me why you think I lost the fight. Tell me. Explain to me, please."
Following the result, Li Jingliang claimed in an Instagram post that he will continue to work hard until his goal is achieved.