The UFC held the second of their pre-fight press conferences today at Encore’s Excess in Las Vegas, Nevada, the home city of the event.
In attendance were UFC Commentator Jon Anik, as well as Tito Ortiz, Forrest Griffin, Patrick Cote and Cung Le.
Below are highlights thanks to MMAmania.com.
Tito Ortiz
- I did the right work, I did what I needed to do and I just need to go out and win. This is the fight that I wanted and the only thing in front of me right now is to get a win.
- I think it comes down to the fights we had prior. Forrest shows great heart. I don’t want guys that run away from me. I want guys that fight, they were both close and Forrest is that type of guy.
- Becoming a world champion is my greatest accomplishment. I worked hard and dedicated myself, became the best I could possibly be and I was able to accomplish something that I wasn’t supposed to do. You can make a difference if you stay focused.
- I haven’t thought about the hall of fame. I’ve just been training. The Hall of Fame is something I’m very thankful for. It shows to my fans that my hard work pays off. The most important thing to me is to get in the cage and fight to the capacity that I know I can.
- With great sacrificed comes great reward. I’ve sacrificed my body, my mind and my family. For 15 years, it came to today. Forrest is another fighter, bleeds like me and breaks like any other person. I’ll do my best to get that W.
- Forrest is top two because it’s a true rivalry. It’s a little different between me and Forrest because it’s not personal. I never hated him. Maybe the first fight I tried to get under his skin but I respect Forrest. He did great for himself becoming a world champion and for my third and final fight, I asked for him.
- When I almost won the middleweight title against Frank Shamrock, I threw everything out. I ain’t worried about the Hall of Fame. That’s a gimme, that’s a guarantee. Getting my hand raised is still in doubt. That’s what I’m focused on.
- It’s a reincarnation. I’ve always been about the UFC. I’ve seen interviews Dana has done saying I’ve all been about myself. But I got back surgery, neck surgery and knee surgery to fight for the company. We’re the modern day gladiators. The fans, news and press are here for us. On Saturday night when I win, I’ll win the crowd and that’s how I win my freedom.
- Winning the world title, beating Bader, losing to Frank Shamrock, beating Ken and beating Forrest the first time are my five greatest moments.
- 100 percent I’m done. I’ve done what I’ve wanted to do.
- Maybe commentating. ESPN has offered me a job, hopefully I can work for the UFC. I’m gonna take a month off, go on vacation. I don’t want to be the father that my father was when he wasn’t there because of drugs. I want to be there. That’s why it’s time to say good bye.
- I did my job or part of my job of educating fans and that latinos can be successful. I had three choices, dead, prison or where I am right now. Thanks to Dana, Lorenzo and the UFC, I wouldn’t be the man I am today if it wasn’t for these things.
- What I’ll miss the least is easy, training. Eight years, nine years, that’s ok. After 10 years it wears down and after 15, that’s enough. What we get paid for is to train. We fight for free. What I’ll miss the most is walking out and feeling the energy of the fans, the electricity in the air, there’s nothing like it. I’ve been on tour with the big rock bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit and I have the same feeling when I walk out as when they take the stage. that’s what I’ll miss the most is my fans in the crowd.
- I lose a little focus when I’m at home. I’ve got my kids, my gym, my clothing brand and I needed to go to Big Bear and focus, eat, sleep and train. My family came up on the weekends.
- When a doctor told me I had a chance of being paralyzed, it’s not worth a million dollars. When I came back, six months after neck surgery, I took on Matt Hamill. That’s how dedicated I was to the UFC.
- I don’t like you (speaking to Ariel Helwani) and I refuse to answer your question.
- My son had meningitis three weeks ago. As a father, you don’t understand how scary that is. I got in my car and told my training guys I’d be back. I went to Arizona to see my son who had meningitis. It was viral, got caught early and they got rid of it in three days. People don’t understand how scary it is to lose a child until you have a child. It was four days off and I’m okay. It wasn’t a big deal. I’m thankful for whoever’s looking over my son. It took me a day to recover from it and to see that smile on his face afterwards, I’m glad they caught it when they did.
- I never thought about if there was no Tito Ortiz in the UFC
- I predict a great fight. I predict a war.
Forrest Griffin
- I don’t think a lot has changed since our last couple go-rounds.
- If I said it, it must be true. I’ll stand behind it. Tito said “I’ll die for this,” and if you really think about it, in 20-30 years, I’ll be remembered for fighting. This is the closest thing I’ll be to a hero. I’ll die for this too. I thought this fight would be May 5th and I took it serious. I never really called anybody out and asked for an opponent before and I think if I was gonna do that, I better be ready.
- It’s hard to say. I know it’s gonna be a big day for Tito and he’s going to come in with a big head of steam. I know he gets motivated to fight me. I just have to make sure I’m prepared to match that intensity.
- In the middle of the journey is no time to take a recollection of it. I know the Bonnar fight was big because people bring it up a lot.
- Fight week is obvious, you just go through your normal routine.
- When he fought Rashad, that was Rashad at his apex. He would have beat a lot of guys except that Jon Jones fella. I’d like to think in my mind I’ve prepared for every scenario. I think we’re both gonna come in with gameplans and I think it’ll fall into the same rhythm it has.
- I don’t do much of the heavy lifting. At one point I had to move to the guest bedroom. I’m not gonna fight dudes after having to wake up all night. If you have a good wife, it helps. I wouldn’t recommend having kids. It’s not conducive to your career.
- I’ve got a ton of crap for the third book and I put it on hold a while back. I’ll pick it up on Monday.
- After I got beat up by Silva, I was really depressed and every day I got in my car and went to the gym. I really enjoy work, I don’t mind it and it’s not something I’m ready to give up yet. My frustration with the sport is simply due to me not being better than I am. I had a great camp for Shogun, was in great shape and I fought like shit. I work about twice a year and every time afterwards I take a month off. I like training camp. It’s a good reason to get out of bed in the morning. You’ve got to do something and wrestling with dudes is something I’ve enjoyed.
Patrick Cote
- He’s tricky, good power and I don’t need to go anywhere. I brought some good southpaw kickers in my camp and it’s a fight. you never know what’s going to happen but I did my homework for this fight.
- You can’t train your chin. I’ll take everything he’ll give me but I’ll give it back.
- You can be a favorite by a million on paper but when the bell rings it’s all the even.
- In the last 18 months, I fought four times. I knew this situation could happen in the UFC so I stayed in shape. I fought March 31st in Brazil and I had four weeks to prepare for this fight so I’m ready.
- I never fought a guy like Cung Le before. It’s like when I fought Anderson Silva. They’re so different from everybody else.
- I’m more mature now. I’m doing what I should have done 3-4 years ago with my training, my lifestyle. I took less time between fights so I’m less injures. I’m more dedicated about the sport. It’s never too late and I’m back now and can’t wait to fight Saturday.
Cung Le
- I wouldn’t call myself a master, but I started out in Taikwando and moved to Sanshou which is a Chinese art of kickboxing with sweeps and takedowns.
- Competing in the UFC is on top of the list. I started out in martial arts. I love to compete and I’ll try to compete as long as I could. I can’t compete forever but I”ll do it as long as I can.
- Being part of the UFC is a huge accomplishment and I’m looking for my first UFC win. I appreciate Patrick Cote taking this fight and I still think this fight is exciting for all the fans.
- It was a big adjuItment because Rich was a southpaw and Patrick Cote is an orthodox fighter.
- I actually like being the underdog. I’m happy about that. It’s about the oddsmakers. When the smoke clears, may the better man stand.
- Stepping into the Octagon with 4 oz. gloves, it’s always a gamechanger. You’ve got to leave it all in the cage and not whole back. I plan on fighting very hard and I’m looking forward to it.
- It was my third broken nose after Wanderlei. The second nose job wasn’t good so after Wanderlei and was still crooked. I found a doctor who straightened it better. Thanks Wanderlei, I got a free nose job.
