|
"July 19th is going to be a great show. I'm fortunate that Affliction got me on this card. A lot of people have been after Fedor, and I got him. He's a great athlete and fighter deserving of everything he's received. I've been known to throw a monkey wrench into the worlds, and I plan on doing it again. The whole card is stacked, and that's what fans want. Tune in July 19th for an awesome show in Anaheim. I'm no sacrificial lamb. A lot of guys won't fight Fedor, but I will. He's been like a myth. This will be only his second fight in the United States. If I do my best, I believe I'll be victorious. He's 6 feet, and I'm 6 8, so I want to fight standing up."
- Tim Sylvia
"If Fedor is all he is touted to be, he will find a way to take Tim out. Tim poses some interesting problems because of his length and striking ability and his takedown defense. This will be in a ring so there will be no solid barriers to limit mobility.
While Tim has a good chance in this fight, like most, I think Fedor will pull it off."
- Randy Couture, talking about the fight between Fedor and Tim Sylvia July 19 in Los Angeles
"I am here for three or four more years. Maybe not in the UFC, but I am going to fight for a long time. The stuff with me and Dana is all bullshit. The hard feelings were personal, but the [UFC owners Lorenzo and Frank] Fertittas are awesome people. For what they have done, I want to thank them. I gave 11 years in the Octagon. Now I am going to go to greener pastures."
- Former UFC light-heavyweight champ Tito Ortiz
"First, I love BJ Penn. He's a friend of mine. [However], one shot from Kimbo Slice would knock BJ Penn out. Of course, they are never going to fight. But that is an idiotic statement. If he [UFC president Dana White] were not an idiot, May 31st would have been the UFC and not EliteXC."
- EliteXC president Gary Shaw, responding on a conference call to a reporter's question about White's alleged statement that Penn could defeat Slice
"Is the IFL for sale? Everything is for sale with the right terms and price. We are going to be proactive and try to move the company forward. There will always be naysayers. If we listened to all of them, we would get nothing done."
- Jay Larkin, CEO of the IFL
"Tonight, GSP kicked my ass. Is that what you are trying to say? It's obvious. You do not have to be a brain surgeon. It was a tough day in the office. GSP was great, man." — Matt Serra, good-naturedly responding to a reporter's question about his fight with GSP at UFC 83
"You don't see our guys leaving. With us, it's family and all about the fighters. Every fighter who has fought on an EliteXC card has come away being an ambassador for EliteXC."
- EliteXC live events president Gary Shaw, talking about the re-signing of Gina Carano, Kimbo Slice and Robbie Lawler
"If an army cannot break me, one man never will."
- Georges St-Pierre, talking about the rigorous training he's undergone to prepare for his fight with Matt Serra in UFC 83
"He is one of the innovative guys who does strength and conditioning for MMA. He's been huge [in training me], and he's definitely changed my game completely."
-- Kenny Florian, talking about his strength and conditioning coach Kevin Kearns
"I am going to come out ready to brawl and explode on Saturday night."
-- Frank Shamrock, talking about his fight with Cung Le
"I think I have been named that [the world's best pound-for-pound fighter] several times during the last 14 years. Anderson Silva is one of the best, but he's not the best in the world. Plus, all the best fighters are not in the UFC. Hopefully, he [Silva] will make something of it [the recognition] and gain some fame. If I ran into him [however], they would be calling me that guy [the world's best pound-for-pound] fighter."
- Frank Shamrock
"Why strike with a striker? When I have been in the sport for as long as I have, I have got to have something that challenges me. I'm an older guy. My art has been tweaked to be a striking art. For the past decade, most of what I have studied is striking so it's time for me to try it out. That [strategy] might be a little dangerous, but it's not like we're not in a dangerous sport. I have the utmost confidence in what I do. Cung Le is a great striker, but he's not prepared for a MMA striking match. That is my striking analysis of the match, and I'm going for it."
- Frank Shamrock, talking about his upcoming fight against Cung Le
"I fight my heart out, but I need to make better decisions to finish my opponents."
- Jorge Gurgel, following UFC 82 in Columbus, Ohio
"Any fight is possible. Nothing is impossible. That is one of the crazy things about this sport. When the stars line up, anyone will fight anyone on any given day. But honestly, I had not given that one a thought."
- UFC president Dana White, commenting on the possibility of UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva fighting WEC middleweight champ Paulo Filho, one of his training partners
"I have heard people say I'm the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. While I'm very thankful to the fans who consider me to be the best, I do not think that. There are a lot of great fighters I [still] need to go by, including Dan Henderson."
- Anderson Silva, UFC middleweight champion
"I met Brock [Lesnar] a few times, and he seems like a really cool guy. I am rooting for him in the sport, but I do not know how good it would have looked if a WWE guy came into the sport and won a high-profile fight."
- UFC light-heavyweight contender Keith Jardine, talking about Lesnar's recent fight with Frank Mir
"Yeah, hopefully he [Antonio Nogueira] can defend the title against Randy Couture so we can find out who the champ is. We expect Captain America to step up to the plate and give Nogueira a chance to win the title. I expect him to do the right thing and honor his contract. We are not asking for anything outrageous or ridiculous. He got a signing bonus, and we expect him to honor his contract."
- EliteXC L- UFC president Dana White, talking about Randy Couture
"If you fight for the UFC, you can't be bigger than Dana White and the UFC. If you fight for EliteXC, as a fighter, you're bigger than Gary Shaw. It's about the fighter. It's not about me. Whether it's Kimbo, who was signed to us, or any other fighter, I believe we represent some of the greatest fighters in the world. I believe that Antonio "Big Foot" Silva could knock out any heavyweight in the UFC. Now, I'm not disparaging the UFC. They have some great fighters and great fights. They have a good brand. They do a good job marketing their brand, but they don't own MMA. They don't own the space. They have a brand. You know what, if you hold up the belt there, all you are is the club champion. Until Dana White is willing to fight his fighters against other brands, all they are club champions."
- EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw
From the beginning, I wanted to include BJJ with my wrestling. I may not have mastered it [BJJ] yet, but you [I] never stop learning. These guys [BJJ black belts] do not walk around like they know it all. There's always something new to learn. It's the same in life."
- Brock Lesnar, UFC heavyweight fighter
"I did not get a chance to see Fedor's [Emelianenko] fight on New Year's Eve because I was cornerning my guys at the IFL. I expected that he would beat Choi. I heard a blow-by-blow, and the first thing that crossed my mind is [my fight with] Tim [Sylvia], who is tall and posed some interesting problems for me. It sounds like he [Choi] posed some interesting problems for Fedor, as well. Ultimately, Fedor secured the submission, but it [sounds like it] did not go too easily for him."
- UFC heavyweight champ Randy Couture
"What happened is that he [Andre Gusmao] did not understand his contract, nor did his representation. They jumped the gun and negotiated [with the UFC]. I got on the phone with [UFC matchmaker] Joe Silva, and he was totally professional. He said, 'Man, I did not know. We did our due diligence, but they [the Gusmao camp] said everything was fine on their end. We will retract the offer and wait until Andre is legally able to talk.' Joe was more than professional. When we started, everyone said the UFC was not interested in our guys. That is not so [now], is it?"
- IFL commissioner Kurt Otto, talking about the contract snafu with Gusmao
"I feel I have improved as a fighter [having been on The Ultimate Fighter 6]. There are things I picked up, but it is not something I would do again, nor would I recommend it for most people. Overall, it was a good experience."
- Mac Danzig, a participant on the UFC's "The Ultimate Fighter 6"
"He's a good kid with a good attitude, and he's very athletic."
- Clay Guida, talking about Roger Huerta, his opponent for The Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale
"I was on suicide watch for about five hours."
- UFC president Dana White, joking about his reaction to the news that Matt Serra was injured and could not fight Matt Hughes
"You guys finally asked about Randy Couture? It took 15 minutes. I guess we [Randy and I] were supposed to meet last week. He thought I blew him off last Tuesday [because I wasn't there]. I thought the meeting was the following week. I am batting 1000 on this one."
- Dana White, UFC president, at the post-fight press conference for UFC 78 when the media addressed him about Randy Couture
"Is fighting or fathering more difficult? Fathering. What is the hardest part of fathering? Puberty."
- UFC fighter Houston Alexander
"Life is a lesson. I've put it [the fight with Matt Hamill] behind me. I think I won that fight and so did a lot of [other] people. If you go back and watch the tape, you will change your mind [in thinking that Hamill won]."
- UFC LHW fighter Michael Bisping
"Every aspect of my training has improved. My whole life has improved. I don't even smoke any more. I haven't had sex in four months. I haven't had a cocktail in five, six months. So I'm pretty pure, and I'm backed up and ready to fight. You know what I'm saying? My focus is on point. I'm accurate. I know how to use my power. My wind is outstanding. I'm ready for anything coming my way. My groundwork is superb. I'm an all-around fighter. I'm no longer one-dimensional. I'm not going to stand there and bang. Working with Bas, that's like, man, he's like the Jimmy Johnson, the John Madden of NFL."
-Kimbo Slice, of EliteXC
"[UFC president] Dana White thinks he owns the sport, [but] he works with the UFC. They don't own every great fighter, and they don't own every great fight. I am not saying the UFC is wrong, and I am not saying that Randy Couture is wrong. Obviously, they are unhappy with each other right now. They should either kiss and make up or go to a court of law and let the judge determine who is right. At that point, they will either be stuck with each other or he will be a free agent. If he is a free agent, I will send a limo for him."
- Gary Shaw, EliteXC
"It was another day at the office."
— Anderson Silva, UFC middleweight champ, talking about his victory over Rich Franklin at UFC 77
"He tried that once before, and he might be back. My guess is that he will be back."
- Chuck Liddell, talking about Randy Couture's second retirement
"What do I think about [Quinton] Rampage [Jackson]? He's a funny guy and entertaining. I have no problem with him, except he beat me once."
- Chuck Liddell, prior to his fight with Jackson
"He's 6 foot 8. That creates a big problem. He's a big dude."
- Brandon Vera, talking about Tim Sylvia, his opponent at UFC 77
"I got caught ... plain and simple. I was able to recover, and I took the fight to him, pushing him as much as I could. It was a war; Heath [Herring] deserves a lot of credit."
- Antonio Nogueira
" ... they are corrupt, shitty Web sites ... providing these phony rankings. For the last seven years, I have been willing to put up our guys vs. the Pride guys, but Pride would never do it. I am not saying that Cro Cop and Shogun are not great fighters. On any given night, anyone can win."
- Dana White, UFC president, at the post-fight press conference at UFC 76
"It's more complicated than you know. The last thing we want to do is bury it and see it die, but it went out of business for a reason. Things are very messed up. These guys [Pride fighters] need fights, and we will get them fights until we figure it out. These guys can't sit around and not fight. Japan is a tough and weird place to navigate through, and we realize that now more than ever."
- White, talking about the status of Pride
"You're more famous than all of us put together."
- Quinton "Rampage" Jackson to UFC president Dana White, after reporters, during a media call, asked White more questions than any of the fighters
"Fighting in the Octagon? It's just like riding a bike, baby. You still remember when you get in there. For me, it does not matter [fighting in a cage or a ring]."
- Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, talking about fighting in a cage as opposed to a ring
"That is the beauty of the sport. Anything can happen. [But] in my heart, I win that fight 99 times out of 100. Things happen for a reason."
- Keith Jardine, talking about his loss to Alexander
On UFC 74 Fight
"It feels great [to be back on track], but even though I got the quick submission there were a lot of things I didn't do right. I thought my takedown could have been cleaner, and I could have been quicker on my feet. With another few wins, I think I can be back in contention, and I can't wait to get back in there."
- Frank Mir, following his W over Antoni Hardonk at UFC 74 in August 2007
On Heath
"No, I just thought that I needed to teach him respect after he showed me so much disrespect. I think that you can be fearless and tough and still maintain sportsmanship. He needed to be taught a lesson. I can't wait for my next fight and to get in there with some of the guys from PRIDE."
- Renato "Babalu" Sobral, following his victory over David Heath at UFC 74 in August 2007, in which he held the choke
On Pellegrino
"I feel great. I'll tell you what. Kurt Pellegrino was very hard to beat. His submission attempts were great, but his punches didn't hurt me. It seemed like he was pulling back and not committed to his strikes. I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to finish, but I'm still excited for the win."
- Joe Stevenson, following his win at UFC 74 in August 2007
On Sherk
"I am not happy about it. He went before the athletic commission [and asked for a continuance], so now we will sit back, wait and see what happens."
- UFC prez Dana White, talking about UFC lightweight champ Sean Sherk's positive steroid test
Franklin on his upcoming fight
"Is there any pressure? Not really. Not yet. [But] ask me again when I am three weeks out from the fight. Right now I am nine weeks out. I have not even begun fight prep yet, I do not have a tight gameplan yet and we are not into the thick of the media stuff." - Rich Franklin, talking about his upcoming fight with Anderson Silva
Miletich on IFL
"The IFL is a pro sports league that has been formed in less than a year. People don't sit back what a huge accomplishment that is. Kurt Otto, Gareb Shamus and the rest of the front office have done incredible things to get this rolling this fast. The team concept and the individual grand prix are everything that a pro league should have. Also, being able to pay salaries along with win, show and bonus money gives fighters a bit of stability that they've never experienced. There are things being worked out right now by Kurt and Gareb. We knew it would not be perfect, so it's just growing pains.'' - Pat Miletich, talking about the IFL
By Josh Lashley
MMA Honors Yankee
Let us step outside MMA today to honor New York Yankee great and Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto, who died Monday.
"Here's the windup. Fastball hit deep to right. This could be it! Way back there! Holy cow! He did it! Sixty-one for Maris! Look at 'em fight for that ball out there!"
— Phil Rizzuto, 10/1/61
Quote compliments of Jerry Milani and the IFL.
Silverbacks in the Finals
"We will go back to the books to see what we did last time to achieve victory. We will look at the strategy that worked last time. We will discuss what we liked and disliked and what we need to do to change. We will use our wrestling to neutralize their ground game so we can dictate where the fight will be." - Rory Markham, of the IFL's Silverbacks, talking about the upcoming Finals
Regarding Judo Performance
"I think it is important to note that the success that our USA judo athletes have had at the Pan American Championships in Canada and later at the Pan American Games in Brazil did not 'just happen,' but is the direct result of the programs that we have invested over the last two years." - USA Judo CEO Jose H. Rodriguez
Nogueira on Herring
"People asked me why I'd want to fight Heath [Herring] a third time. He showed you why. He's a warrior and a much improved fighter since the last time we fought." - Antonio "Minotauro" Nogueira, who scored a unanimous decision over Herring at UFC 73
Otto Speaks
"We are happy about it, and it just shows that we have arrived. People are emulating what we do because it works. Of course, there are already teams in MMA, but we are promoting it in a different way. Of course, I do not know how the UFC will take to that." - IFL commissioner Kurt Otto, commenting on the MMA team format in Brazil
EliteXC on PPV
"Making fans pay for PPV every month is unfair and a rip-off. The only PPV should be for extravaganzas. Otherwise, the money is just going to the promoters. This type of format is killing boxing." - Gary Shaw, EliteXC's Live Events president
Jason Lambert
"I know what I'm getting into. I'm ready for a war. I didn't sign up for a bake sale." - Jason Lambert, talking about his return fight at UFC 76, where he will take on Wilson Gouveia in a light-heavyweight match on September 22nd in Anaheim, California - Nathanael Dunn
Bonner on his UFC 73 Fight
"I called the early attempt the "Say Uncle." Kind of like what my dad used to do to me as a kid. I was able to hold it and sink in the choke. I'm pretty pleased with how things turned out." - Stephan Bonnar, UFC light-heavyweight fighter, following his fight at UFC 73
White on Rampage vs. Henderson
"This is a unification title bout. The PRIDE champ vs. the UFC champ. The unified, undisputed champion of the world." - Dana White, talking about the fight between Rampage and Dan Henderson
White on Fan Booing
"Do they want a trap door to open and have tigers come in?" - UFC president Dana White, talking about the fans who were booing during the Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca fight
White UFC Future
"Wait until you see what we are working on right now. We are going to keep breaking records and blowing people's minds. What we are working on now will rock the entire [MMA] industry." - Dana White, UFC president, during the pre-fight media call for UFC 73
White on Ortiz vs. Evans
"They will fight again, but hopefully it won't be within the next three minutes." - UFC prez Dana White, interjecting during a brief lull in the argument between Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans at the post-fight press conference for UFC 73
Which one is better?
"Which one is better ... my wedding day or winning the title? You're going to get me in trouble with my old lady. Next question (laughing)." - Matt Serra, UFC welterweight champ
Dana White on UFC Demographic
"In the male 18-34 demographic, we dominate. The only thing bigger in that category is the NFL, which is a monster." - Dana White, UFC prez, talking about the popularity of MMA and the UFC
Jens Pulver on his TUF Fight
"B.J. [Penn] is a savage. He's very good." — Jens Pulver, following his loss to Penn June 23 during the finals of the UFC's "The Ultimate Fighter"
"I haven't heard anything about Ken, but I wouldn't be surprised. I'd check with them [the UFC]."
- The IFL's Public Relations department, responding to rumors about Ken Shamrock fighting in the UFC again
"We don't have anything to say about Ken at this time."
- The UFC's PR Dept., commenting on the IFL's statement
Florian on UFC Sherk Fight
"It's tough, it's tough. I get heated just thinking about it because I see the mistakes I made." - Kenny Florian, UFC lightweight fighter, talking about watching the tape of his loss to Sean Sherk
Gracie Speaks
"Did the DJ prevent me from hearing my corner? No, my mom always used to say I had selective hearing, anyway. I just listened to my corner." - Royce Gracie, talking about his fight Saturday night at the Los Angeles Coliseum in which a Deejay spoke throughout the matches on a microphone
UFC Arrives
"That was the last nail in the coffin. The media has not [always] given us credibility, but it's over now. Sports Center just did a big thing on Chuck [Liddell]. The weigh-ins [for UFC 71] will be live on ESPN. We just got the cover of SI. We are there now and finally arrived. This is a dream for us. We never [even] talked about the [SI] cover." - UFC prez Dana White
On Liddell
"Chuck [Liddell] is a big superstar. What he has right now is a Mike Tyson aura. He seems invincible, and people love to show up to see how fast he can knock his opponents out. What makes this fight [UFC 71] intriguing is that Quinton [Jackson] is the only guy to beat him recently." - UFC prez Dana White
Words from Gracie
"I am still on the top. My name is still a draw, so yes. I still have a few years (left). I take care of my body. I do not drink or smoke. I live a very healthy life, eat a lot of fruits. I eat very healthy, and I am always in shape. So it is not like I totally get out of shape." - Royce Gracie
Hughes Looks Forward to Serra
HOUSTON, Texas - If you saw Matt Hughes following GSP's loss to Matt Serra at UFC 69, you saw him smiling. What was going through his mind?
"Now I get to fight Serra.," said Hughes. "The guy who talks too much. If he would have lost, I would never have gotten a chance to fight him." - Katalin Rodriguez-Ogren
Randy Couture, speaking about Tim Sylvia "Part of the game plan was to not let him find his range or allow him to set the tempo. I also felt I had to go first, and I felt I had the mobility and athleticism to get him before he hit me. I wanted to keep him off balance. If he settles into a rhythm, he can be a tough opponent." - Randy Couture, speaking about Tim Sylvia at the post-fight press conference for UFC 68
UFC President Dana White
"I am excited about the card (UFC 68). It's the return of Rich Franklin and Matt Hughes, and Randy Couture is coming out of retirement to take on Tim Sylvia for the heavyweight title. I just came back from England but everywhere I go the talk is about Tim and Randy. People are asking if Randy can take Tim Sylvia down and get inside his reach. The so-called experts are saying that Tim hits too hard and his reach is too big and that Randy has a hard time fighting bigger guys. There are a lot of opinions about this, and that is what the buzz is all about." - Dana White, UFC president, talking about this weekend's fight in Columbus, Ohio
Elite Xtreme Combat's Gina Carano
"I'm Italian, and I love food. My other family is from Oklahoma, and they love fried food, so my weight is constantly fluctuating. I stick to good carbs like wheats, and I eat chicken and any lean meats. I can even eat beef if it's lean, and it works out for me pretty good. I eat three to four hours a day, five to six meals, and then my whole day becomes surrounded around by food. So, I'm like, 'When do I get to eat again?'" - Gina Carano, as told to Jatinder Dhoot
|
