Bisping picks Holloway to win:Bisping picks Holloway to win:

Los Angeles – On UFC TONIGHT, host Kenny Florian and guest host Michael Bisping preview the upcoming UFC 212: ALDO VS. HOLLOWAY and interview interim champ Max Holloway and legend Vitor Belfort. Plus, Karyn Bryant adds reports.

UFC TONIGHT guest host Michael Bisping on when he found about Georges St-Pierre’s eye injury: “At the press conference, no, I didn’t know about it. But I found out a little later. That’s why the fight was taking so long to materialize. As far as I was aware, Georges knew, I knew and the UFC knew, but it wasn’t my news to talk about. That’s why I’m still confident the fight is going to happen. Georges says he wants to fight me whether I have the belt or not. Believe you me, I will have the belt. Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker are fighting for the interim belt and I’ll fight one of them, but Georges and I are still going to get it on.”

Bisping on the Jose Also vs. Max Holloway title fight: “Jose Aldo was the king of featherweight division long before Conor McGregor was ever heard of. How did he get it done? His striking and his devastating leg kicks. This guy can do it all. His leg kicks are some of the best in the UFC.”

UFC TONIGHT host Kenny Florian on Aldo’s dominance: “His defensive skills were really on display in his last fight against Frankie Edgar. I was so impressed with his head movement, his ability to maintain distance, and his takedown defense. But Holloway isn’t going to try to take him down. I think this is going to be a striking war. Holloway isn’t a wrestler and with no threat of takedown, Aldo is going to really let it rip.”

Bisping on Holloway’s fighting style: “Max moves forward and throws strikes with reckless abandon. He’s very exciting. When these two meet, it’s going to be all-out action.”

Florian on Holloway: “He has every technique in his arsenal. He throws his strikes extremely well. He switches his stance so you never know what he’s going to do and does it when throwing strikes, so you don’t know where anything is coming from. He’s that talented with his striking.”

Florian on Aldo’s keys to victory: “He’s fast and powerful. Key one is to stay patient. He needs to take his time against Holloway. He can’t force the knockout. Key two is to throw the leg kicks. He doesn’t have to fear the takedown against Holloway. Key three is to land the takedowns and utilize his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.”

Bisping on Holloway’s keys to victory: “He gets it done by speed and aggression. He’s got to apply the forward pressure to crowd the kicker. He’s got to vary his attack. And key three is he’s got to block the leg kicks.”

Bisping picks Holloway to defeat Aldo: “The last time he fought a true striker, Conor McGregor, he got knocked out. Max is going to move forward and he can throw with just as much talent, speed and power as Conor McGregor. For those reasons, I say Max gets it done.”

Florian picks Aldo: “I’m going with Aldo. His experience and his speed is going to be the difference and he might mix in some takedowns.”

VIDEO: Aldo vs. Holloway Preview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq0-VbPF7Sk

Max Holloway on being concerned of fans poisoning his food in Brazil: “My nickname is blessed. I’ve got my coach cooking my foods here. I’m not worried. If they have to shoot that low, it’s pretty bad. I’m just concerned with what I can control: my team, my coaches, and my feelings.”

Holloway on if he brought in someone to mimic Aldo in his training camp: “Not really. I’ve got a great bunch of guys. When it’s fight camp, we try to mimic the opponent the best we can.”

Holloway on if it’s hard to train for Aldo, who fights so infrequently: Not really. Aldo is Aldo. You see what you get. Everyone is different, watching from the outside. When we get in the Octagon and the doors shut, it’s a different story. I can’t wait to get in there and mix it up and see how he feels in there.”

Holloway on how he’ll deal with Aldo’s devastating leg kicks: “It’s called Pay Per View. A magician never reveals his secrets. Tune in. Don’t miss it. You’ll see history in the making. I said in December a star is going to be born. A new star is going to be born on June 3rd.”

Holloway on if there was a turning point in his career: “It had to be that two losses before the Will Chope fight. I knew I was better than that and that was a turning point. Ten fights later, here we are.”
VIDEO: Interview: Max Holloway previews his UFC 212 fight vs. Jose Aldo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPqd540Q4DU

Vitor Belfort on if he’s ready to step away from the sport: “I feel something stirring in me. I went to Tristar gym for this training camp. I feel I’ve still got some miles on this. Let’s continue this journey.”

Belfort on if he’ll keep fighting in the UFC: “Yes, the UFC. That’s the place to be. I’m very thankful to build the sport. We’re in a phase where the sport’s not just entertainment, but a sport and we’re not entertainers, but athletes.”

Belfort on if he has more fights on his contract: “I want to take one fight at a time. Fighting for me is for pleasure. I have a lot of business outside the sport. I really want to help the organization outside. I’ve done a lot for the organization. Any fight can be the last or it can be another start. I take every fight as the last. I think there’s still a legend’s league. Fighters can fight until they’re 50.”

Belfort on how he’ll fight Nate Marquardt: “I need to just let myself go and fight hard. I was waiting for the moment but you have to make it happen, throw combinations and have fun. You can’t be in the same place all the time. I need to just go out and have fun.”

Belfort on why he moved to Tristar? “In Tristar, they have great leadership, great atmosphere, training, coaches and fighters. I went back to living in a little room and a little kitchen. Sometimes you have to go back to what made you. Make the sacrifices. I felt very welcomed. I got a lot of respect from the fighters – amazing fighters from all over the world. They have a great crew and I’ve learned so much. That’s my new home.”

Belfort on what’s next: “Now is about reinventing myself. I don’t have anything to prove. The way I see it now, it’s a passion. I was like a little kid, Now, I can go again. I felt it. I’m excited and very happy to continue to do what I do with love and passion.”

VIDEO: Interview: Vitor Belfort: “Fighting is a pleasure. I want to have fun.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TICuu7L-uvI

Bisping one fighter to watch at UFC 212 is Erick Silva: “Erick Silva is one of the most exciting fighters we’ve seen in the UFC and he always puts on a memorable occasion.”

Florian’s one fighter to watch at UFC 212 is Marlon Moraes: “I think his striking is just at a different level. He was a champion in the World Series of Fighting and this is his debut in the UFC. His coach Mark Henry is saying he’ll be champion one day.”

Bisping on Alexander Gustafsson saying he could give up a title shot to teammate Jimi Manuwa: “At the end of the day this isn’t a team sport and title shots don’t come easy. He’s already had two shots, but Gustafsson can’t give up another one. He’s losing his mind if he allows Manuwa to jump over him to get a title shot.”

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