Ian McCall

Uncle Creepy
Calls end to career
FlyweightOther
May 22, 2018
McCall announced Monday in an interview on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani that he has retired from professional fighting.
ANALYSIS
McCall distinguished himself as one of the top flyweights during his 15-year career, compiling a 13-7-1 record across 21 bouts. The 33-year-old first rose to prominence in 2011 for the Tachi Palace Fights promotion and immediately became one of the premier 125-pound fighters in the UFC when it added the flyweight division in 2012. McCall had seen his career take a downhill turn in recent years after leaving UFC for the Rizin promotion, with his final bout coming earlier this month when he was knocked out by Kyoji Horiguchi in nine seconds. McCall didn't dismiss the possibility of fighting again if a lucrative offer came his way, but it seems unlikely that a major payday would be in the cards for a fighter in decline and approaching his mid-30s.
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Scheduled to fight outside of UFC
FlyweightOther
October 16, 2017
McCall, who was recently released from his UFC contract, is scheduled to make his debut under the Rizin banner on Dec. 29, Dann Strupp of MMAJunkie.com reports.
ANALYSIS
McCall will have not seen live competition for nearly three years when he steps into the ring for the Japan-based promotion. When he does, the 33-year-old will compete at bantamweight (135 pounds) after spending the majority of his UFC career at flyweight (125 pounds). "Uncle Creepy" will enter the grand prix tournament, which began in July, as a wild card candidate. Should he emerge victorious over the 23-year-old Manel Kape, he would advance to the semifinals, which take place just two days later on New Year's Eve.
Will fight if new UFC deal is reached
FlyweightOther
October 9, 2017
Despite many reported health issues of late, McCall is open to fighting in the UFC again if the promotion is willing to restructure his contract, ESPN's Greg Rosenstein reports.
ANALYSIS
McCall, despite having multiple fights scheduled, hasn't actually stepped into the Octagon since Jan. 2015. He's dealt with gastrointestinal issues, but more concerning are the recent tests he's underwent to monitor brain activity, which clearly show that 15 years of professional fighting have taken their toll. Despite those unsettling results, McCall has put a price on his health and will fight again if he's paid $100,000. He's even alright with getting $50,000 in show money and another $50,000 in a prospective win bonus, but at this point it seems unlikely that the UFC is on board. Should the promotion fail to meet that number, McCall has asked to be released from his contract and will pursue other opportunities overseas. At 33 years old, "Uncle Creepy" theoretically could still compete with ranked UFC flyweights given his track record to date. He was the last fighter to step into the Octagon against all-time great Demetrious Johnson -- a bout that was fought to a majority draw. Johnson went on to win his next 12 fights after avenging that draw, and is the new UFC record holder of all-time consecutive title defenses at 11,
UFC future in peril
FlyweightOther
August 8, 2017
McCall has been undergoing treatment for irregular brain activity in recent weeks and is uncertain about his future as a UFC fighter, Alexander K. Lee of MMAFighting.com reports. "There's a lot wrong with my brain; it's not just the punching. And on top of that 15 years of fighting professionally isn't good for you," McCall said. "I saw a lot of bad signs, still seeing a lot of bad signs just with CTE [chronic traumatic encephalopathy] type stuff, TBI [traumatic brain injury] stuff, so it scared me. I went down [to San Diego to meet with a specialist] and I'm trying to fix it. Fix the depression and all the stuff that comes with that, we'll see."
ANALYSIS
McCall was most recently scheduled to face Jarred Brooks in a UFC 208 match in February, but ended up withdrawing after experiencing gastrointestinal issues the day of the fight. Since that time, it's his quality of life after the sport that has been McCall's biggest concern. The 33-year-old indicated that he's already experiencing more forgetfulness and bouts of rage, as well as other symptoms consistent with bipolar disorder. McCall noted that his brain treatment will continue for another month, after which he'll formally decide whether he wants to continue fighting.
Cleared for action by USADA
FlyweightOther
June 11, 2017
McCall was recently cleared for a potential doping violation by the USADA, Damon Martin of Fox Sports reports.
ANALYSIS
McCall was flagged by the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Association) in February for a potential doping violation. He was set to face Jarred Brooks at UFC 208 at the time but withdrew from the bout due to illness. Under the instruction of his physician, he received an IV of saline, which isn't an illegal substance if kept under 50mL every six hours. After investigation, the USADA gave McCall a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) and cleared him for action. There is no word of a booked fight at this time.
Ruled out of UFC 208
FlyweightOther
February 11, 2017
McCall is dealing with an illness and has been ruled out of Saturday's UFC 208 preliminary bout against Jarred Brooks, Damon Martin of Fox Sports reports.
ANALYSIS
McCall was forced to check into a hospital late Friday due to his illness, which will ultimately keep him out for Saturday's scheduled fight against Brooks. It's the fifth fight in a row that either McCall or his opponent has needed to withdraw.