UFC 148 press conference video + highlights

The UFC held their traditional pre-fight press conference today for UFC 148 at the Lagasse’s Stadium in The Palazzo Las Vegas, Nevada.

In attendance were UFC President Dana White and main event fighters Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen.

UFC 148 Press Conference Highlights thanks to MMAmania.com.

Anderson Silva

• I’m here to fight whoever they put in front of me and sometimes my opinion doesn’t make much of a difference but I’ll fight whoever I put in front of me.
• Playtime is over. He can say whatever he wants. It’s over. Saturday, a lot of things are gonna change. It’s gonna be much different after Saturday.
• It doesn’t make too much of a difference where this fight is at. I’m going to do my job. The fans have seen the type of work inside the Octagon. Regardless if you’re American or wherever country you’re from.
• For him to be able to strike with me standing up, he’ll have to be a magician. It’s impossible for him to stand up with me.
• If you train 100 percent, the results will be 100 percent. I’m 100 percent trained and the results will be 100 percent.
• When someone says I’m the greatest, that’s not a fact, that’s an opinion. I just have to do my best.
• Nope (on if he plans to retire soon)
• I have no words to really explain other than the game is over. The game is over and you guys will see on Saturday night what I’m talking about. I don’t have anything else to say other than he’s screwed.
• I don’t believe Chael deserves the rematch, but I’m an employee of the UFC. If I have to go out and beat his ass 10 more times, I’ll beat his ass 10 more times.
• All of us athletes are part of an elite group. I believe that the comments he made about my wife, the comments he made about my country are very disrespectful to me, my country and the UFC. We are elite athletes and shouldn’t be talking that way to each other. Chael tested positive for steroids, he offended a nation, he was charged with a crime. How can you take anything this guy says for real. This guy is ridiculous.
• Chael once again, I feel he doesn’t deserve. He was in his most dominant position for most of the fight. If I was in the most dominant position for a few seconds, the fight wouldn’t have went the way it went. The other fighters I’ve faced in the UFC was more qualified than Chael. I beat a guy for five rounds in Abu Dhabi and he submitted Chael in seconds in the UFC.
• Yes, I’m here because I love what I do. For the minute I came to the UFC, they have treated me well. You can’t forget the statements this guy made against Lance Armstrong, one of the greatest athletes in USA history. Now Chael has the TRT replacement which is the same thing he was complaining about Lance Armstrong doping. I think the people responsible in the UFC and the commissions could take a second look at that.
• Of course I will show respect after the fight. I respect all my opponents and he falls under the same category. I will respect him because that was the way I was raised.
• The way it’s gonna go is I’m gonna him him, hit him some more, hit him more, he’ll try to grab onto me and then I’ll keep hitting him until he gives up.
• I believe it’s gonna end in the first round.

Chael Sonnen

• I offer zero apologies. I’m like Jon Jones, makes songs like Sean Combs I’ve got trombone sized stones like John Holmes.
• If you knew your funeral was coming up, you’d be morbid as well. It was nice to see the the real Anderson Silva. Anderson will step aside and the man will walk through.
• That offer got put out there but yes, it was rescinded. Chael Sonnen’s not going anywhere.
• Anderson has home court advantage. He lives in Beverly Hills. He’s closer to Las Vegas than to me. The fight in Brazil would have been neutral territory. You could replace Ed Soares with an app for $9.99
• You have to earn pressure. If I’d just walked into this thing, there’d be nothing expected of me. I’m glad to have earned that pressure.
• The record speaks for itself. He’s the champion but I’m the best. I’m a world class athlete. He’s a martial artist but I’m a cage fighter.
• I don’t know what respect is about. There’s no point in paying the prices that I have paid for anything less than to set your goals at the top.
• He tried to make me wilt like Vitor Belfort, but that’s not who I am.
• People say this shouldn’t be personal, but it is personal. I don’t give a damn if it hurt his feelings.
• When I win this championship, I will never be a closet champion. The most frustrating thing about this sport is you only defend it three times a year. I beat 8-9 people in one day in wrestling.
• I’d rather not make the trip when you’re cutting weight but fair is fair. I’d rather not have a long plane ride but I’ll fight either way.
• I’m not proud of it, but if I don’t take my medication, I will die. Talk to the commission. There’s a number of rules and we’ll follow all of the rules.
• My weight is on track. It’s a bear, it’s always a bear but it’s a part of it. You agree to do something and it’ll get done.
• This is about competition and going after what you want. If you’ve got to break a few eggs to make an omelet, that’s fine with me.
• All I can tell you is this is gonna be a hard fight. I’m gonna wait for him to throw a kick, put my forehead into his chest and run my first into his head for 25 minutes until he gives up.
• I’m bigger, faster and stronger. All I can tell you that the Chael of today could beat up the Chael of two years ago and the Chael of two years ago stomped this bum.
• I will not back down from anyone ever. Bisping was a puzzle for me but I would fight him five time in the same day. When the day comes that I won’t fight a man, I’ll quit. If I didn’t think I could win this fight, I wouldn’t have showed up.
• The offer was not accepted. The offer was after I fought Brian Stann. I had to sign a contract with Mark Munoz then Michael Bisping. The offer was there.