• UFC Live

Story expects title shot if he stops Marquardt

ESPN staff
June 15, 2011
Rick Story accepted his fight with Nate Marquardt three days after beating Thiago Alves © Getty Images
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Rick Story may know something that nobody else does, after he hinted that a dominant victory over Nate Marquardt will earn him a UFC welterweight title shot.

Story fights Marquardt in the UFC Live main event on June 26, replacing the injured Anthony Johnson. UFC president Dana White loves a fighter who steps up to the plate when needed, and Story's reward may be a crack at Georges St-Pierre.

The up-and-coming American is coming off a recent win over Thiago Alves at UFC 130, the biggest triumph of his career to date. Former middleweight No. 1 contender Marquardt would represent an even bigger scalp, less than a month after the Alves fight.

Story insists he had no hesitation about getting back inside the Octagon so soon, and he is preparing to put on a show.

"I like fighting frequently so we jumped all over the opportunity," Story said, before addressing talk of a title shot.

"It all depends on how the win would go -- maybe one more fight if it was a decision. If it was a finish, then it would definitely put me in position where I probably deserve the shot."

Such a scenario would see Story leapfrog above long-time contender Jon Fitch, who recently turned down a fight with Story in order to pursue BJ Penn or St-Pierre.

"I can see his standpoint," Story said. "But I'll fight whoever whenever. And if I got called out, I'd be more motivated to take a fight."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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