Florian on McGregor: “He does a lot of unusual things that will help him out.”

Los Angeles – UFC TONIGHT was hosted by Kenny Florian and Daniel Cormier, with Karyn Bryant adding reports. The crew interviews former UFC contender Dan Hardy and former world champion boxer Victor Ortiz about Mayweather vs. McGregor. They also caught up with THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER Season 26 coach Eddie Alvarez and contestant Barb Honchak, plus more.

UFC TONIGHT host Daniel Cormier on losing the title at UFC 214: “It takes time to get over something so big, but day by day, you get over it. I’m a guy who really loves what I do, and I take it very hard when I’m unsuccessful. Fighting is like a cruel mistress. If fighting was a nice ex-girlfriend, she would have knocked me out in 10 seconds, she wouldn’t have given me some success in the fight.”

Cormier on Jon Jones saying they could be friends in the future: “I believe he’s being genuine and trying to turn over a new leaf and be a different person than he was in the past. We don’t have to be friends. That I’ve always respected him as a fighter. But with that, friendship would be difficult because of our past. We will be professional as we have to, until the cage door closes again.”

VIDEO: Daniel Cormier returns to UFC TONIGHT after his UFC 214 fight with Jon Jones

UFC TONIGHT host Kenny Florian on the announced title fight between Cody Garbrandt vs. TJ Dillashaw: “These are two of the most technical fighters in the UFC period. Both have phenomenal footwork, power and come from wrestling. They’ve both trained together and they don’t like each other. I like this fight.”

Cormier on Mayweather vs. McGregor: “The betting odds have made Conor McGregor a smaller underdog than the likes of Andre Berto or Marcos Maidona or Robert Guerrero. Conor is fighting the best boxer of all time. Floyd is a magician. He’s showed the ability to adjust and adapt like no other in all of combat sports. He just has to be Mayweather in this fight.”

Florian on Mayweather’s advantages: “That pull counter is the best in all combat sports. He will nail you with it from anywhere. He has to beat up the body. The angles his gets when he’s fighting are so good. He puts his back to the ropes and still gets you to miss, and then he lands those short shots. Floyd does things other boxers only dream of.”

Cormier on McGregor’s advantages: “Conor is big, powerful, and confident. Conor believes he’ll win the fight and people think he’s out of his mind. But being out of his mind, he believes he’ll knock him out in two rounds. He is confident and size will help him out.”

Florian on McGregor’s unorthodox style: “He does a lot of unusual things that will help him out. You can’t box Floyd, you have to fight Floyd Mayweather. Those fights where he was cut, it was on the front side. Floyd keeps his lead hand down. If Conor switches stances, and tries to hit him with the right hook and left cross, he might catch Mayweather.”

Florian on Mayweather vs. McGregor fighting with 8oz gloves: “I’ll tell you I don’t want to get hit by Floyd for 12 rounds in 8oz gloves. It’s the shots you don’t see that will wear on you. And he uses the body shots. Normally, he uses the big gloves to protect his head. Him having the smaller gloves, at end of the day, this will give Conor an advantage. In the early rounds it benefits Conor, but later it benefits Floyd.”

Cormier on the clip of McGregor fighting Paulie Malignaggi: “I thought Conor looked fantastic in that clip, but the boxing world didn’t.”

Cormier on what Mayweather needs to do in the fight: “Let’s look at the pull-back right hand. One of his weapons is his body jab. It upsets your breathing. It interrupts your timing. Floyd Mayweather is a wizard in the ring. He needs to fight behind his jab. Body jab, body jab, and when Conor lowers his hands he goes high with left hook or the lead right hand.”

Florian on what McGregor needs to do to be effective in the fight: “For McGregor, he needs to switch stances. Boxers aren’t used to it. He needs to attack the lead side, and work the body and then go upstairs. Being the bigger guy, Conor can catch him. One other thing, he also should punch with him. He needs to make it a brawl, not a boxing fight.”

Victor Ortiz on his opinion of Mayweather vs. McGregor: “It’s two different sports. It’s like the champion in tennis vs. the champion in ping pong. They both great in what they do, they have balls and rackets, but they’re very different sports.”

Ortiz on advice to McGregor: “Don’t let him pressure you or smother you because that’s where he’s comfortable. Floyd is pretty awesome at that.”

Ortiz on if Mayweather is taking McGregor for granted: “I don’t think he takes anyone for granted – he did me, though. For once, maybe, McGregor is not as big a worry. So maybe he is. I saw the game face at the press conference. I haven’t seen that game face in a while. So he’s there. But I think McGregor has the upper hand in the talking.”

Ortiz on Paulie Malignaggi being upset by the sparring video being released: “Absolutely. Nobody saw the whole session. It’s one of those things. You’ve been clipped in sparring. You step the wrong way and slip. I think it’s a valid point that Paulie is upset.”

Ortiz if he’d train with McGregor and fear similar results that Malignaggi received: “You guys know as champions, I don’t let people record me. That’s a big no-no. Not when they come to my gym.”

Ortiz on his last fight: “It was the first time in a while I felt comfortable. I came out too aggressive in the first. I got clipped in the first round, but went back there and focused on what we needed to do. He said your baby is watching. Thanks to Coach Haas, he got me out of there.”

VIDEO: Victor Ortiz talks Mayweather and McGregor with the UFC Tonight crew

Dan Hardy on what he thinks of Mayweather vs. McGregor: “He has to stay unpredictable. Floyd has beaten 49 boxers, but he’s never beaten an MMA fighter. Conor should stay out of boxing range. Floyd is used to staying about four inches back. If he has to cover six or seven inches, that would be different for Floyd and would let Conor use his reach. There are a lot of advantages to not being a boxer.”

Hardy on what the other boxing analysts he’s working with think of these fights: “They’re very intrigued. I don’t want to be the voice of all mixed martial arts. I want to be a lover of all combat sports and have an objective opinion.”

Hardy on if he’s getting the desire to fight again: “Yes! I’m learning so much in this process. My focus has been on this. I love it and I’m learning so much. They’re such polarizing characters and superstars in their sports.”

VIDEO: Dan Hardy drops by UFC Tonight to break down Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather

Eddie Alvarez on coaching THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER against Justin Gaethje, who only has one fight and win in the UFC: “It depends on who he fought. It was a big risk for him on his first fight in the UFC and a top five guy, and his risk turned out to be a good thing.”

Alvarez on being in wars in his fights: “As Simba in The Lion King says: ‘I laugh in the face of danger.’ Throughout my career, the more dangerous opponent, I step up. I trust and believe in myself and I keep going at a high level and enjoy it and embrace it and look at Justin being a dangerous guy with a lot of weapons.“

Barbara Honchak on having beaten some big names in MMA: “I assumed I’d have a target on my back. I’ve had some big wins in pocket, but I’ve been out for a while. The second we got to the TUF house, I’ve had girls sizing me up as the competition to beat.”

Honchak on being the first Invicta champion and possibly the 125 pound UFC champ: “It means I make history, twice. I want that.”

Alvarez on saying that McGregor can beat Mayweather: “The movement he has from MMA is different from boxing. But my words were twisted. I believe Conor can knock him out, but the probability is small, but it’s there. People are writing it off as a joke of a fight, but I’m saying Conor can box, he has the ability to knock him out. Is it small? Yes, but it’s there and probably early in the fight. He doesn’t want it to turn into a boxing match.”

VIDEO: Eddie Alvarez and Barb Honchak dropped by UFC TONIGHT to talk TUF 26

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UFC TONIGHT
UFC TONIGHT is the official weekly news and information show of the Ultimate Fighting Championship on FS1. Veteran UFC fighter and multiple title contender Kenny Florian, former light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier and veteran combat sports journalist Karyn Bryant bring you all the news and analysis.