The UFC is held their pre-fight press conference for UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis today (Jan.26). In attendance were UFC President Dana White and main card fighters Rashad Evans, Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen, Michael Bisping, Demian Maia, Chris Weidman, Mike Russow and Jon Olav Einemo.
UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis Pre-Fight Press Conference Highlights (thanks to MMAMania.com):
Rashad Evans
• I’m definitely excited to be fighting on a regular basis again. When I win this fight, I’m looking to fight again as soon as possible. I’m looking to get as many fights as I can before the gas runs out.
• When you talk about fighting, a fight is a fight. It’s easier to fight when you don’t like somebody. I’ve got nothing against Phil. I’ve got to fight him so I’ve got a lot against him right now. So, it’s not really personal, but it’s personal.
• (Speaking to Davis) If we wrestled in college, I guarantee I would have beat you. If we wrestled right now, I guarantee I’d beat you. Your technique is trash. You can’t win on an international stage because you have trash technique. I watched you wrestle in college and it was trash.
Phil Davis
• There’s no disrespect. This man is the outright number one contender and he’s not going to be the number one contender anymore after this weekend. I’m used to being the underdog in MMA. Everyone I’ve ever fought has always had more experience. These are odds I’m used to.
• Cocaine is a hell of a drug. It’s crazy what the kids do now days. I encourage imagination and it’s good that he has that, but no. He’ll never beat me in wrestling, not thumb wrestling, not anything of the sort. You guys that have not wrestled, we were in the same divisions, similar weight classes. I was a four time All-American.
• It felt bad, I really wanted to (fight Evans) in front of everyone, but now I get to fight him on Fox and embarrass him in front of everybody.
Chael Sonnen
• For those of you that can’t see, this is the world championship title that I took from Anderson Silva. And in this country, possession is nine-tenths of the law. So, finders keepers, losers weepers. If he wants it back, he knows where to find me.
• I believe that I am the true champion, and this is the true belt. I took his belt from Anderson like a gangster in the night. If he wants it back, he can come get it. He’s as relevant as Mike Tyson.
• I wasn’t much of a pro wrestling guy (growing up). I was a Sugar Ray Leonard guy – Marvin Haggler, Duran. We didn’t have cable TV. my dad said we couldn’t get it where we lived, even though all of our friends had it. Then I find out we were just really poor. But, I did go over to neighbors’ house to watch Sugar Ray fight.
• I have three questions for Bisping: First, whatcha gonna do when you know who, how you gonna deal with the man of steel, and how you gonna react to Sonnen’s attack?
Michael Bisping
• Of course, (Chael’s) the best boxer. He’s Muhammed Ali, he’s the champ, he’s everything. And I’m just a guy from England trying to fight him, what chance do I have? Let’s be honest, I’ll outbox him every night of the week. He’s a great wrestler, I’m a great boxer.
• I think it’s going to be fantastic. Chael’s a great fighter, I’m a great fighter, and I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of energy. Whether it positive or negative, I feed off of the energy, and I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of it.
• This wouldn’t be the first time that I’m the underdog in a fight, and it wouldn’t be the first time I proved them wrong. The best fighter doesn’t always win, it’s the guy that fights best, and I’m going to win. And he can keep his fake belt and shove it up his a–.
Demian Maia
• I like Chael, he’s funny. And he’s a very good athlete. He has proven that against Anderson, and after Anderson, against Stann, he did very well. I hope one day we can fight again, for the title. For his title (points at Chael’s replica belt).
• I heard he said he wants to go to the ground, but fighters say things before the fight, but once it starts, things change. I cannot be concerned with that, I need to be prepared to fight any place.
Chris Weidman
• I’m definitely comfortable taking it to the ground if that’s what ends up happening. It’s going to start on the feet, and I’m going to do what I usually do, walk forward and throw punches, and if the opportunity presents itself, I’ll take it to the ground.
• I don’t see this fight as a no-lose situation. I have to win this fight in my eyes. If I lose this fight, it’s do or die for me. If I look at it that way, it gives me an excuse to lose.
Courtesy of UFC.com (Fast forward to the 24mins mark)
