Magny-Larkin bout to serve as Fight Pass headliner on UFC 202 card

Rising UFC welterweight contender Neil Magny was all set for another top 10 opponent to help him continue to make his case for a spot near the top of the rankings.

He’ll have to settle for a prominent spot on what is expected to be one of the biggest events of the year.

Magny’s fight against Lorenz Larkin will serve as the featured preliminary bout on the Fight Pass portion of the UFC 202 card at T-Mobile Arena on Aug. 20, sources close to the organization confirmed to the Review-Journal.

The spot is one that is heavily marketed by the UFC. All of the attention will serve as a consolation prize for Magny, who had been scheduled to fight contender Dong Hyun Kim until he suffered an injury and was replaced by Larkin.

“I wanted a top 10 opponent, but things happen,” Magny told the Review-Journal by phone from his training camp in Colorado upon learning his fight would headline the Fight Pass portion of the card. “I’m excited that Lorenz Larkin stepped up to take the fight and I got to stay on the card. I’m definitely not overlooking him. I know he’s tough. He was one of the last guys to beat (current champion) Robbie Lawler. I’m just excited to go out there and fight.”

The opportunity to have his fight seen by a wider audience has added appeal for Magny.

“I think it’s great for me. It gives me a chance to reach a lot of fans that maybe don’t have a way or the means to order the pay per view, especially the soldiers,” said Magny, who spent seven years in the Army. “When I was overseas, I didn’t have access to watch Fox Sports 1 or things like that. The fact that fans and soldiers around the world have a chance to watch me on Fight Pass I think is great and I’m excited about it.”

The bout offers Magny another opportunity for Magny to build on a resume that is looking more and more impressive.

Magny is 10-1 in his last 11 fights after losing two of his first three fights in the organization following a stint on “The Ultimate Fighter.”

While his skills have grown significantly during the successful run, his confidence may be the biggest difference.

“I’m to the point now where I think I’m ready to fight for a title,” he said. “The last two opponents I fought were Hector Lombard and Kelvin Gastelum and the guys that beat them before me each got title shots. I know I’m right where I should be. For me, it’s just a matter of time.”

That starts with a matchup against Larkin, who has won three of his last four fights.

Magny acknowledges that a switch from Kim to the unranked Larkin could open the door for a letdown, but he’s not looking past his new opponent at all.

In fact, the 28-year-old Magny says he has learned to ignore those numbers completely.

“When I wasn’t ranked, the big thing was to get to the top 15,” he said. “Then I got there and just wanted to be in the top 10. Now, I’m ranked No. 7 in the world and I realize those rankings don’t mean a thing. Kelvin Gastelum is ranked above me and I’ve already beaten him. Those numbers don’t mean a thing. The only thing that matters is the guy with the belt and that’s who I want to fight.”

He hopes that happens soon. Robbie Lawler will defend the title against Tyron Woodley on Saturday night in Atlanta and Stephen Thompson will likely challenge the winner.

Magny hopes he’s not too much further down the pecking order. He had always hoped to win the belt by the time he turns 30 and he will be 29 on Aug. 3.

For now, he just wants to control that which is in his hands. If he continues to do that, everything else will fall into place.

Magny can already track his progress through his appearances at the annual Fan Expo, which is held each July in Las Vegas.

Three years ago, he was just walking around unnoticed. The next year he was mistaken for Jon Jones a few times. The recognition started to build last year and and he was taking pictures and signing autographs constantly at this year’s event.

“It just lets me know I’m doing the right things,” he said. “I’m on the right track and it’s all paying off for me.”

He plans to take full advantage of the eyes that will be on his fight against Larkin on the undercard of the blockbuster rematch between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz.

“Every opportunity I have to compete, I’m humbled by it and appreciate it,” Magny said. “Competing on a card with Conor McGregor, there’s going to be an opportunity to showcase what I have and maybe even steal the show. If I can go out there and perform well, people will for sure take notice of who I am. For two days straight after that fight against Hector Lombard (in March), I was a trending topic on Facebook so I have a chance to go out there and do that again.”

The main card at UFC 202 also includes a light heavyweight bout between Anthony Johnson and Glover Teixeira, with the winner likely to get the next shot at champion Daniel Cormier.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.