Florian on Maia: “He’s one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu artists to ever compete in the Octagon.”
LAS VEGAS – UFC TONIGHT hosts Kenny Florian and Daniel Cormier preview FOX UFC FIGHT NIGHT: MAIA VS. CONDIT and interview headliner Carlos Condit. They also catch up with Anthony Pettis and Paige VanZant. Karyn Bryant adds reports.
UFC TONIGHT host Daniel Cormier on Demian Maia vs. Carlos Condit: “This is going to be a phenomenal fight. Condit has great striking. Maia wants to push you against the fence and drag you down to the mat and into his world of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. This fight has huge title implications. ”
UFC TONIGHT host Kenny Florian on Maia’s key’s to victory: “He’s one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu artists to ever compete in the Octagon. He’s got to back Condit up, get the respect with his hands and get in grappling range. He’s got to vary his attack. He doesn’t want to be predictable. And key number three, he needs to land the takedown. If he gets you down, you’re not getting back up.”
Cormier on Condit’s keys to victory: “He’s got to use his footwork and create space so Maia can’t get takedowns. He has to win the clinch and create some distance. His third key is he’s got to push the pace. He can go harder, longer over a five-round fight. If he pushes a hard pace, Maia can’t stay with that because won’t be comfortable on his feet.”
Florian picks Maia to win, while Cormier picks Condit to win.
Carlos Condit on saying he wouldn’t come back if he didn’t get the title shot: “I didn’t get the shot, but I still want to fight and I feel a win over Maia puts me right back in title contention.”
Condit on what drove the retirement talk: “I’ve been at this for a long time and I got to look at some other things I can do to make a living. I can’t fight forever. But I still have a little bit of time left. I love what I do, so I decided to give it a little more time.”
Condit on how he can beat Maia: “I need to use my reach, range and my footwork. I need to fight smart and create opportunities when I can and capitalize on them.”
Condit on if he thinks he deserves a title shot with a win: “I do. I felt like I deserved it after the Lawler fight. To beat a guy who’s on a run like Maia has been on, would get me the shot.”
VIDEO: Interview: Condit previews his fight with Maia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Anthony Pettis on why he moved down to 145: “I’m in this to be a champ. I lost to Eddie Alvarez, who’s champ now. At 145, I have a whole new division.”
Pettis on how he prepared for his opponent Charles Oliveira: “I haven’t even watched tape on this guy. I didn’t want to concern myself with him. I did that for my last few fights and it made me second guess myself. Now I just concentrate on what I have to do. I actually watched my own fights to get ready.”
Pettis on if he feels pressure going into this fight: “Most definitely. Every fight is most important fight of your career. But this is one of those fights that can make it and break it.”
Pettis on who he’s training with now: “I still train with Duke Roufus. I’ve gone to Jackson’s for sparring and bodies, and Greg Jackson is a wizard for game plans. I still have my daughter at home. But I only go to Jackson’s for a few weeks at a time. I get some different sparring partners and it clears my mind.”
Pettis on how his training partner CM Punk is looking before his debut: “He made a huge jump from where he was to now. He has a skill set. Two years isn’t a lot of time to develop in this sport. He put the time in. He’s holding his own. I’ll be there to watch him.”
VIDEO: Interview: Pettis prepared to make his UFC featherweight debut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Paige VanZant on Bec Rawlings’ remarks that she shouldn’t be ranked that high: “I look at my last few fights and who I fought. There are a lot of tough fighters in the strawweight division. I’m going to go out and prove that wrong on Saturday night.”
VanZant on if she takes trash talking personally: “I’ve always said it doesn’t feel personal. This is the sport. It’s what I love to do. Other people say they have to hate the person to do it. I just do it because I love it.”
VanZant on if she missed fighting while doing Dancing With The Stars: “I feel like I’m at home in the Octagon. I missed it a lot. I missed fighting and competing against someone. It’s really like nothing else.”
VanZant on what she missed: “I want to say violence. Being in the gym. Fighters are just different. I fit in with fighters.”
VanZant on what changed with her exposure on Dancing With The Stars: “The demographic of fans that I got. I have a lot of older fans and a lot more women who are fans now. My grandpa and all his friends. That brought all those people over to the UFC and hopefully they’ll be watching this weekend.”
VIDEO: Interview: VanZant missed the violence of fighting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Cormier on what Conor McGregor should do next: “I think it should be a fight against Jose Aldo. Jose Aldo looked great in his last fight. He ruled over that division for a long time. Skill for skill, he might be the only guy to match him. I wouldn’t be surprised if McGregor went up to 155 vs. Alvarez and jumped Khabib in the line. He’d probably be the favorite going into it.”
Florian on what’s next for Nate Diaz: “I want to see the rematch with McGregor. He’s not going to get a title shot at 170 or 155 pounds. But he can wait for Conor and the trilogy and get the money fight. I don’t think it’d be more than a year that he’d have to wait.”
Florian on if Cody Garbrandt earned the shot at Dominick Cruz: “I think Dominick Cruz is looking for the biggest fight. He’s looking for TJ to chase him and build up the fight. Cody is doing the work and he even finished Mizugaki faster than Cruz did. Cody could knock him out, if he can catch him. Does he have the footwork? I don’t think so.”
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