According to Kyler
Phillips, bantamweights from the
MMA Lab won’t avoid fighting one another if the situation calls
for it.
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Phillips took on veteran Pedro
Munhoz on the UFC
299 preliminary card at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Saturday.
“Matrix” put on a striking clinic to earn a unanimous decision
victory, extending his winning streak to three and his promotional
record to 6-1.
Phillips trains at the MMA Lab in Phoenix, which is home to a
number of talented bantamweight fighters, including reigning champ
Sean O’Malley. Top bantamweight contender Merab
Dvalishvili had previously irked UFC CEO Dana White by refusing
a title shot during the reign of good friend and Serra-Longo Fight
Team training partner Aljamain
Sterling. However, Phillips claims that MMA Lab bantamweights
are not averse to the idea of competing against each other.
Phillips also notes that with the sheer number of surging
bantamweight prospects training at the gym, some of them will
inevitably be on a collision course.
“Honestly there are so many people at the Lab,” Phillips said at a
post-fight media scrum. “We all came. I mean I
met Sean [O’Malley] when I was 18 years old. And Sean, Mario
Bautista, Marcus [McGhee]. There are so many dudes coming up.
We fight and train with each other every day, we’re making money
and stuff. It’s not really like that. We’re gonna see each other,
there’s just too many of us so I think we’re gonna clear out all
the divisions, us at the Lab.”
Phillips then jokingly issued a callout to McGhee, who was in his
corner on Saturday night.
“Of course, man. Like, yeah. Where’s my guy at? There he is. Hey
you tryin’ to fight? Let’s do this, let’s make this money. Marcus
McGhee ‘The Maniac’.”