Neil Magny Breaks UFC Welterweight Wins Record
UFC welterweight Neil Magny made history on Saturday at UFC Vegas 64. With a third-round submission of Daniel Rodriguez he passed UFC legend Georges St. Pierre for most wins in welterweight history with 20.
The 35-year-old may be the record holder, but he knows the importance of acknowledging the fighters that have come before him, such as St. Pierre. “I believe Georges St-Pierre is the greatest welterweight of all time. It was cool to be able to get to the point that I have the most wins [in welterweight history] in the UFC right now, but I just have to accept that his career is far different than mine. I can’t look at Georges St-Pierre’s career and look at what he’s done in the sport and feel like I fell short, or didn’t accomplish enough ,because that’s just added mental pressure that I don’t need,” said Magny.
Magny wants to define his own legacy despite the comparisons that may be made to St. Pierre, now that he has passed him in the record books. “This is a lot of pressure,” Magny said. “I feel like if I buy into the hype and constantly compare myself to GSP, when that day comes for me to walk away from it, I may have dark shadow over my head like, ‘You had an OK career, but you were no GSP.”
“I accept that. I know I’m not GSP. I’m Neil Magny. I’m comfortable with my own name in the history books and blazing a path for myself.”
Magny may not be the casual fans most beloved welterweight, but he has been one of the toughest fighters in the sport since starting his UFC career in 2013. He has been one of the most active 170 pounders in the UFC but he has quietly been an “any time, any place” fighter. He is not big on trash-talk or one for calling out those above him in the rankings. However, he answers the call to fight when no one else will. He has taken a humble approach to being a welterweight contender but he has not been afraid to battle elite fighters, feared prospects, or challengers who have seen him as a gatekeeper.
Rodriguez was on a four-fight winning streak entering Saturday’s fight but he learned that Magny is not ready to accept the gatekeeper title. “Even though I took the gatekeeper from D-Rod personal, it was nothing against him. I mean, if I go out there and I fall short when it matters most, and I end up being a gatekeeper, it’s not because of him — it’s because of my actions,” Magny said. “So, for me to go out there and fight to the best of my ability, that’s what’s going to start changing those narratives, even when it comes down to like the odds and that kind of thing for people betting and that kind of stuff.
“As much as I took it personal with that gatekeeper comment, it is literally more so motivating,” he continued. “Like, alright, cool. Are you a gatekeeper? If not, go out there and prove otherwise. And that’s kind of like where I’m heading now.”
Among the record for most welterweight wins, Magny also holds other impressive accolades. He fought 10 times in two calendar years, he is one of only three fighters to win five fights in a calendar year, and he has wins over three former champions. While these are hall of fame statistics, Magny has not been close to fighting for a title, but that is still his plan.
“It’s great to be the all-time winner or whatever else, but at the end of the day, I want the stamp on my career,” Magny explained. “I want to be labeled the champion for the rest of my life, and that’s not something someone is going to give me. I have to go out there and get it.”
He continued, “I do appreciate the win against Daniel Rodriguez tonight. I do appreciate holding the record for most wins in the welterweight division but that’s not the end goal for me now. Maybe five years from now, 10 years from now, I’ll look back like all right, that was good enough. But right now, I still want to be called UFC welterweight champion and I definitely feel like I can get it done.”
While many pundits do not recognize Magny as a hall of fame fighter right now, challenging for a title would certainly build a better case for him to be more widely considered one of the best in UFC history. Even though we are in an era where longevity is often overlooked by fans and critics, you cannot deny the impact that Magny has made on the UFC’s welterweight division over the last nine years.
