The UFC held a media conference call with stars of the Jan. 26 UFC on FOX card today.
On the call were main event fighters Demetrious Johnson and John Dodson, as well as Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Glover Teixeira, Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone.
UFC on FOX: JOHNSON vs. DODSON takes place Saturday, Jan. 26 from United Center in Chicago and will air live on FOX at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. In the night’s main event, UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will make his first ever title defense against the current number one contender John Dodson.
Check out the conference call highlights below thanks to MMAmania.com.
Dave Sholler
- I can confirm that Mike Goldberg will be on the broadcast with Joe Rogan for the Fox broadcast.
Demetrious Johnson
- I just have to go in there and do my thing.
- At the end of the day, however they advertise the fight, I’m still getting in there to fight.
John Dodson
- It’s awesome. How many people can say they’re in the main event for their third fight after only being in the UFC for a year. I want to put on a good show and not get booed.
- I’m looking for a double bonus. I know I’m gonna get the Fight of the Night for sure. I’ll just try to get something else on the back end.
- I’ve got to make sure to stay on point with my cardio and get on the inside. I have to make sure to close the distance and be faster than he can.
- I’m not gonna sit there and say I’ll be mad if they start booing because we’ve got all these great fights underneath. I don’t care if they’re gonna boo. I’m just gonna go out there and fight. That’s what matters to me.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
- Glover is a guy who says he’s gonna knock me out and stand with me but he’ll just try to take me down like other guys I fought. It’s cowardly to say what you want to do and get me to focus somewhere else and have me training other areas. I’m smarter than that now. I’ve pretty much found out that he’s going to try to wrestle me and take me down. I used to respect him a lot as a fighter but I see his gameplan and I’m disappointed. I’m looking forward to a good fight and I’m ready to go anywhere.
- I plan on still being involved in MMA. I just want to get this last UFC fight out of the way and see what happens when I’m a free agent.
- My reasons for wanting to leave the UFC is still the same. Matchmaking is just one of the reasons. It’s nothing about money. I’ve done this interview several times before and don’t want to go into it. I have a new reason. I’m sponsored by Reebok and UFC says I can’t wear Reebok in the cage. Stupid stuff like that. It’s not about money, it’s about respect. I’d rather take a money cut to go to another show and get appreciated. I’m sponsored by Reebok, just not allowed to wear it in the cage. I can’t wear Reebok while I fight. I think in my opinion, the fighters do a lot for the sport and we’re not taken care of well enough. I feel like they’re getting rich off of all of us. We’re having surgeries and injuries and some of these guys can’t afford to pay sparring partners and stuff like that. I don’t want to be a part of the sport like that. I want to go where they treat their fighters like human beings.
- I haven’t been happy with the UFC for a long time. It turned me into a very negative person. I need to get all the negativity out of my life, negative friends, negative family members and the UFC. I just want to be a positive person and be a positive role model for my kids and everyone else in my life. No matter what the outcome is on January 26th, I’m gonna be happy because I trained very hard. I trained every aspect on the ground, on the feet, everything. I want to leave the UFC on a positive note and let the UFC be in my past.
- I think the reason why people didn’t want to fight him is, “who is he?” People haven’t really heard of him. If you look at Glover’s record, who has he really fought? He hasn’t fought any top names. The biggest guy he fought was Ricco Rodriguez and he’s past his time. I fight for my career and I never turn down a fight the UFC offered me. The only person I tried to duck was Matt Hamill because he was a boring fighter. I seen the videos of him trying to hold me against the cage and wrestle me. He’s not a real fighter. Shogun probably didn’t want to fight him because he doesn’t respect him.
- I’m over it. I gave them time and time again to keep me happy. Honestly, I think the UFC’s happy with me leaving as well. It’s a mutual thing. I just don’t agree with the way they treat the fighters. In my opinion, we’re taken advantage of and I dont’ want to stay in an organization like this.
- I think I’ll have fun once I leave the UFC and fight for an organization where I feel appreciated. My objective is to fight and put butts in seats and have people give me a pat on the back and thank me, fighting injured when I could have pulled out. I have a few more years in me. My training camp is going really well and my knee is strong. I feel really, really strong. I think I’ve got a few more years in me.
- I’ve put my time in. I did my thing. I think my next challenge if I go somewhere is I want to be exciting. Maybe I’ll do some boxing, some kickboxing and stuff like that. I’ve done jiu-jitsu tournaments, wrestling tournaments, kickboxing fights and I’ve never done boxing. Kimbo Slice is doing it and he’s doing pretty good.
Glover Teixeira
- I give credit to that man for coming back and keeping fighting. I kept my composure and finished the fight.
- I don’t think about that right now. I just think about this, a very tough fight. I’m trying to put on a good fight for the fans on the 26th.
- Chuck Liddell has helped me with wrestling, striking and he was a great fighter. Now he’s a great coach.
Anthony Pettis
- I didn’t get my title shot but here I am two years later. I believe everything happens for a reason and Guida exposed a hole in my game.
- I’m not worried about title shots right now. I’m just worried about getting W’s under my belt after a year off.
- I’m not a guy that runs ever. I’m not afraid of anybody in the division. We’re here to sell the fight. The fight’s sold and I’m gonna fight and we’re here to bang. Everyone knows I’m a flashy fighter and they have a chance to prepare for it. We’ll see what happens.
- A year off is a long time. It was tough being on the outside looking in. A guy like Cerrone is a great guy to prove myself against. That question will be answered on the 26th if I’m at the top of the division.
Donald Cerrone
- Strikeforce getting dissolved and coming to the UFC, Gilbert held that belt for a while, don’t know if he deserves it or not.
- I think this fight is gonna be exactly what the media and fans think it’s gonna be. We’re gonna throw the fuck down. Getting him riled up is what I’ve been doing. Keep training hard and he’s gonna come angry and it’ll be the fight that everyone wants to see.
- (interrupting John Dodson) You know you ain’t getting Fight of the Night boy! That’s mine!
- I go train and on my days off I wakeboard and play. I like to get on the water and wakeboard. It’s like working out and it’s something I really enjoy. I don’t think it’ll affect my training at all.
