Florian picks Cormier to Beat Jones: “We’re going to see the best Cormier we’ve ever seen.

| July 27, 2017 | 0 Comentarios/ Comments

Los Angeles – UFC TONIGHT was hosted by Kenny Florian and guest host Michael Bisping, with Karyn Bryant adding reports. The crew catches up with UFC 214 headliners Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones, plus Tyron Woodley and Cris Cyborg before their title fights this weekend.

UFC TONIGHT guest host Michael Bisping on who he’ll fight next: “I don’t know now. At UFC 213, I agreed to fight the winner of Whittaker vs. Romero. Robert Whittaker won and I agreed to fight him and coach The Ultimate Fighter against him, but he’s injured until next year. I’ll fight somebody. Maybe GSP, maybe Nick Diaz or someone else.”

UFC TONIGHT host Kenny Florian on Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones: “In this fight, we have the two best light heavyweights in UFC history going at it. Cormier has to come in better shape this time. He took off round four in the last fight and he paid for it. The way he pressures Jones is important. In the first fight he really went after him. He’s got to be careful. I think he underestimated the wrestling of Jon Jones in the last fight.”

Bisping on Cormier’s ability: “DC started his career at heavyweight. In Strikeforce he became heavyweight championship and he beat some great names at heavyweight. The only loss on his record is to Jon Jones. He’s got incredible wrestling, good knockout power and comes in great shape.”

Florian on what’s impressive about Jones: “The most impressive thing about him is his ability to adapt in a fight. He can change ranges in a fight. He’s a long fighter, but can go short in the clinch and use short elbows and knees to body. He has one of the best minds in the game too.”

Bisping on Jones’ greatness: “Jon is the best ever at light heavyweight. Jon has great wrestling and a diverse striking game. He’s so dangerous with his animalistic aggression.”

Bisping on Cormier’s keys to victory: “He’s got to push the pace to tire out Jon Jones. He’s got to get inside and land the takedown. If he puts him on his back, he’ll take away some of Jon’s best weapons. He had a tough time in the first fight taking him down.”

Florian on Jones’ keys to victory: “He has a huge reach advantage he has to use it. He also has to use his wrestling. He actually outwrestled Cormier in the first fight. He’s got to attack the body with knees and kicks to try to slow him down, like he did in the first fight.”

Both Bisping and Florian pick Cormier to win. Florian explains: “Cormier has done a lot of camp in preparation for Jones. I think he’s going to be much better and we’re going to see the best Daniel Cormier we’ve ever seen. Jones has been out of the game for a little bit. DC will win.”

Daniel Cormier on the rivalry with Jones: “I’ve been looking forward to this rematch since I lost the first fight. Two and a half years has been a long time waiting for him. After I beat him, I can get back to my job.”

Jon Jones on his emotions: “I’ve brought it with me thus far. I train four times a day. I think that’s a lot. I train, rehydrate, rest and train. I live to train. It’s hard. I’m 30 years old. I say Jon, you should chill. Then I think about DC and I’m pretty sure that he’s not training four times a day. He encourages me to train more. I’ve fought the top guys. I’m always the same guy come fight night – no nervousness or butterflies. I’m doing what God put me on my planet to do – fighting. I’m not a commentator or anything. My passion is to be the best fighter in the world. I go out there and fight.”

Cormier on Jones’ commentary: “You tried to have a commentator job and you sucked.”

Jones on his commentator effort: “I was offered it. But I was young. You know what I don’t suck at? You saw it. You were crying. Actually, I don’t want to be a commentator. I just want to beat you.”

Cormier on what will be different this time: “We’ve prepared for him in training camp. I’ve always said he’s a special talent. You have to do things different for him. Had we fought last July, I wouldn’t have been prepared. But I’ve had two and a half years to prepare. All those other guys were just speed bumps.”

Jones on if he’ll shake hands with Cormier after the fight: “Absolutely, I’d like to. I feel bad after the last fight. I’ll be more classy this time.”

Cormier on what he’ll say to Jones after he beats him: “What are you going to say this time? I love that he did that. You kick me while I’m down, and it made me train harder. One of the favorite things you say, this is combat. That made me train so much harder. I saw you crying when you got popped for steroids.”

Jones on why he didn’t talk to Dana White for so long: “Dana reached out a few times, but I just didn’t answer his calls or text messages. Dana’s shown his true colors. When you’re making him money, you’re his everything, but he’s not when you’re not he disappears. Now I’m just talking to Ari when it comes to business.”

VIDEO: Cormier and Jones ahead of UFC 214

Bisping on Demian Maia’s wrestling and jiu-jitsu skills: “Since he’s come down to welterweight, he’s been working tirelessly on wresting. That single leg is amazing. Once he gets you to floor, it’s not game over, but you have to be careful. Tyron’s one of the hardest hitters in the division.”

Florian on how Woodley should approach Maia: “Maia will be the bigger fighter, but Woodley will be faster. Woodley needs to be patient and not rush forward and avoid Maia’s takedowns. He was patient for all five rounds against Wonderboy. He’ll have to do that against Maia.”

Bisping picks Woodley to beat Maia: “I think it comes down to can Maia take Woodley down and can he submit him? Ultimately, it stays on the feet and it ends with a knockout for Woodley.”

Florian picks Woodley as well: “Wrestler-strikers have always been a tough matchup for jiu-jitsu guys I think Tyron is a tough style matchup for Maia. I pick Woodley.”

Tyron Woodley on how he’ll beat Demian Maia: “I’m going to go out there, take him down and submit him.”

Woodley on training at American Top Team: “I did a couple of weeks at Roufusport and a couple of weeks at American Top Team. If you have the access to all these black belts to train with, I’d be crazy not to train with them. And I was already training anyway.”

Woodley on why beating Maia won’t mean that much: “The fans don’t respect jiu-jitsu. The fans want to see a war. I respect his jiu-jitsu, but his Brazilian iiu-jitsu excellence isn’t as exciting and that’s why it won’t propel me up the pound-for-pound list. If he can’t take me down, it’s going to be a short night. He’s very aggressive to take you down in the early rounds. But if he waits, than fatigue sets him.”

Woodley on working for FOX Sports a week before his title fight: “I like to have healthy distractions. I brought my whole training camp with me to New York and I trained at night time and worked out again in the mornings. But I was already ready to fight last week.”

Woodley on fighting Georges St-Pierre: “I think Georges wants to fight Michael because Michael is a big draw. He’s a good at selling the fights. GSP left the sport because of concussions. I’m going to give him a concussion and try to knock him out. I’m not saying he’s scared to fight me. But if you’re weighing risk vs. reward, I’m just not the number-one person on his list.”

VIDEO: Tyron Woodley and Michael Bisping discuss the St-Pierre situation

VIDEO: Florian and Bisping Preview Woodley vs. Maia

Cris Cyborg on if Tonya Evinger has the best grappling skills she’s faced: “She has more experience. But I like the stand-up game. I have my grappling game too. But I like to box.”

Cyborg on the former featherweight champion not wanting to fight her: “It’s embarrassing. She’s sick in her mind. Before she accepted the title fight, she knew she’d have to fight me if she won the belt. I don’t think she’s the champ.”

Cyborg on Rousey: “Everyone would like to see me fight her. I wanted to fight the real Ronda, when she was beating everyone. But now she has two losses and is not the real Ronda. But I’ll never be 135. If she wins again, maybe we’ll fight at 145.”

Cyborg on her relationship with Dana White: “We’re getting fixed. He said he made some mistakes. It’s cool he said it. I want to work together. I know I can do a lot for the UFC. Saturday is going to be my third fight and it’s going to be happy.”

VIDEO: Cris Cyborg Interview

VIDEO: Florian and Bisping discuss Paulie Malignaggi sparring with Conor McGregor

VIDEO: Charlize Theron Interview

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