MacDonald Not Thrilled With Next Opponent

In his recent article for sportsnet.ca, Jason MacDonald confirmed that he will be fighting Joe Doerksen on April 19 at UFC 84. However, he is not happy that he is facing his fellow Canadian for the second time:

I have no idea where this matchup came from. This is certainly nothing I asked for, having beaten him before in 2005. Usually when you have a fight in your career and you beat someone - unless it’s a controversial one or one that was left in the hands of the judges - you move on.

I would rather have been matched up with one of the new guys that has come into the division in the UFC. Evan Tanner, Michael Bisping, Ricardo Almeida, I would have loved to face one of these new guys that I think I match up well against, rather than someone I’ve already faced.

But he’s not going to rock the boat too much.

But it’s not my job to pick my fights and decide who I face. If the UFC decided this matchup is best for their business and for my career, then so be it. I’m under contract with them. If that’s what they want for Canadian fans to see, I’m fine with that and I’m definitely happy to be involved in what will certainly be a historic event, the first UFC event in Canada.

One might understand MacDonald’s concern with what he may perceive as a step backwards in his career. However, being on the card for the first UFC event in Canada could do a great deal for his career and marketability in his home country. This could be a blessing in disguise.

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