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FOX Sports 1 UFC TONIGHT Show Quotes and Videos – 12/17/14
FLORIAN ON MACHIDA: “WHAT MAKES HIM SUCH A PUZZLE FOR MOST GUYS IS HIS FOOTWORK.”
Cormier on Beating Jon Jones: “He’ll lose to me and his career will go in a tailspin. I’m looking to rid MMA of Jon Jones.”
UFC FIGHT NIGHT Preview, VanZant Interview on UFC TONIGHT
LOS ANGELES, CA – On UFC TONIGHT, host Kenny Florian and guest host Michael Bisping preview this weekend’s UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON FOX SPORTS 1: MACHIDA vs. DOLLAWAY. Florian interviews light heavyweight title challenger Daniel Cormier, while Florian and Bisping both talk to rising strawweight Paige VanZant. Plus, Helwani and Bryant add reports.
UFC TONIGHT Guest Host Michael Bisping on the class action lawsuit against the UFC: “Let me break it down: you got three disgruntled ex-fighters and their careers didn’t pan out the way they wanted it to be, so guess what? They’re suing the UFC.”
UFC TONIGHT Host Kenny Florian on the lawsuit: “At the end of the day, nothing is promised to us. It’s a difficult business. You have to go out and win fights We’re all in this together.”
Bisping on UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Machida vs. Dollaway: “Machida moved down to 185 because he was getting outwrestled by the bigger guys. He’s an incredible striker. He’s knocked out some of the best like Randy Couture and Rashad Evans, among others. He’s one of the true elite. CB, coming from the wrestling background, is going to try take him down, but he can’t walk into one of those counters. He’s a decorated wrestler. CB has to get his hands on Machida, push him against the fence and take him down.”
Florian on Machida vs. Dollaway: “Machida is a brilliant counter-striker and what makes him such a puzzle for so many guys is his footwork. He moves so well. He can strike going back. Two guys had a good game plan against Machida: Shogun went out and cut off the cage and used leg kicks. The other was Chris Weidman, who pressured him with the wrestling and the striking. Dollaway has the wrestling to do that.”
Bisping on Barao vs. Gagnon: “Barao’s unbelievable fighter, but he lost some stock since losing the title and missing weight for his next fight. He has great knockouts and great submissions. He’s coming into this very motivated. But Gagnon is a beast. He’s a submission machine and will bring a tough test to Barao. But I think it’ll be a third round TKO for Barao.”
VIDEO: UFC Fight Night: Machida vs Dollaway predictions
http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/
Jon Jones on his surprise to the UFC 182 promo: “At first I was a little offended that the UFC would post something like that. I don’t think it’s healthy for the general public to see the UFC champion say they’re going to kill someone. I don’t think it’s really in my best interest. But it’s in the UFC’s best interest. So I kind of had to swallow my pride. I said it.”
Daniel Cormier on fighting Jon Jones: “This is what I’ve wanted for years, since I met Jon. When I met him in 2010, our first interaction was unpleasant. He insulted me, so he gave me material and I put his picture on the wall and I have been looking at it since then. I want to beat him in his prime. This has been a goal for four years.”
Cormier on how this compares to competing at the Olympics: “For a long time I thought the Olympics was it, I represented America and nothing would match that. But as I get closer to this fight, this feels bigger. So many people are watching. And the ability to make money is life changing. It feels like this is bigger.”
Cormier on if he would have been fighting if he won gold at the Olympics: “I wouldn’t be here if I won gold. I look back at how things are meant to be. I lost because I wasn’t supposed to be the champion. Those lessons were so I could learn. It all prepared me for January 3. I’m supposed to be the UFC champion. That’s why I didn’t win the Olympics.”
Cormier on what will change with Jon Jones once he beats him. “I think he falls back in the pack. He’ll get a rematch, but he’ll fall back. Once he knows he can get beat and no one is scared of him, he won’t win ten in a row anymore. He’ll win some and he’ll lose some. He’ll go searching for answers and move to heavyweight. It’ll put doubt and questions in his head. He’ll come out a different man. He might need to be convinced to take the rematch. He’ll lose to me and his career will go in a tailspin. I’m looking to rid MMA of Jon Jones.”
VIDEO: Interview: Cormier: 'I'm looking to rid MMA of Jon Jones'
http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/
Paige VanZant on THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER finale: “It was an awesome fight. You could really see how talented this weight division is. It’s a very stacked division. There are tough fights coming toward me, but I’m ready. I loved the season. I watched every fight. They’re all my potential opponents. I’m excited to fight someone from the TUF house next. I’ve seen every one fight, so I’m ready for them.”
VanZant on if she ever imagined getting to the UFC: “I knew I was going to make it to the UFC one day. In our weight class, we don’t have a Ronda Rousey, but we have a lot of talented fighters. In her division, there’s Ronda and not a lot of other challengers. I see the belt changing a lot in our division.”
VanZant on starting so young: “I started my training with Ken Shamrock at age 15. I took my first amateur fight quickly afterward and won it and went pro shortly after that because I figured if I was going to get punched in the face, I might as well get paid for it. My career took off.”
VanZant on what she did with the $50,000 bonus she won in the last fight: “I went shopping. I bought a lot of shoes, the rest went into savings.”
VIDEO: Interview: Paige VanZant on Strawweight title
http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/
UFC TONIGHT Insider Ariel Helwani on Rory MacDonald not getting a title shot next: “I talked to Rory last night if he was getting ready for the title shot and he said nope, he’s not getting a title fight. The UFC called him last week and told him he wouldn’t be fighting for it. He was pretty disappointed it. I called Hendricks’ manager to see if they’ve been told about a trilogy fight, and he hasn’t heard anything yet from the UFC.”
Helwani on when Anthony Pettis will have his next title defense: “I talked to Anthony’s manager and he told me he wants to be very active this year. He’d like to fight in the March/April timeframe, then in July, and then at the end of the year. Khabib is not cleared yet and will have to wait for the title shot in July, possibly. But he believes Rafael Dos Anjos will beat Pettis.”
Helwani on Mark Munoz’ next fight: “He’ll be fighting at UFC 184 in Los Angeles against a new opponent, Roan “Jucao” Carneiro, who’s coming back to the UFC winning five in a row.
UFC TONIGHT
UFC TONIGHT is the official weekly news and information show of the Ultimate Fighting Championship on FOX Sports 1. Veteran UFC fighter and multiple title contender Kenny Florian, light heavyweight title contender Daniel Cormier, veteran combat sports journalist Karyn Bryant and four-time World MMA Awards Journalist of the Year Ariel Helwani bring you all the news and analysis.
Follow on Twitter at: @KennyFlorian; @Bisping; @arielhelwani; @KarynBryant; @UFCTonight; @FOXSports1
