Hunt on Lewis: “This is my hood. I’m going to knock his face off.”

Los Angeles – On UFC TONIGHT, hosts Kenny Florian and Daniel Cormier preview the upcoming UFC FIGHT NIGHT: LEWIS VS. HUNT and interview headliners Derrick Lewis and Mark Hunt. They also catch up with THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: REDEMPTION coach TJ Dillashaw about his possible fight with Demetrious Johnson. Plus, Karyn Bryant adds reports.

UFC TONIGHT host Daniel Cormier on Jimi Manuwa: “Jimi Manuwa can go play with the little boys. We’ve got big boy business going on in the main event. He’s talking about how he won’t go fight Alexander Gustafsson. There are more people who can beat Jimi Manuwa than can beat Gustafsson, so Alexander is letting you lose so he’ll get the title shot next.”

Cormier on Derrick Lewis asking to fight Mark Hunt: “Sometimes you ask for things that you don’t really want. Derrick believes he has the skill to beat Mark Hunt. He’s a very athletic heavyweight. He has unbelievable power in his hands. Derrick is developing as he’s going forward. When he first came in to the UFC, we didn’t know what we were going to get. Was he a big guy who gasses after two minutes? But he’s progressed. You can’t gas him because no one can last with him.”

UFC TONIGHT host Kenny Florian on Hunt being a bad matchup for Lewis: “This is a fight that Derrick Lewis wanted. But this might be the worst matchup for him. Mark Hunt is a kickboxing champion. He’s done it all from boxing to kickboxing to mixed martial arts. He’s only gotten better despite being the oldest guy in the UFC. He’s very dangerous. He can knock you out with either hand and his chin is legendary.”

Florian picks Hunt to beat Lewis: “I think Mark Hunt has fought a lot of guys like Derrick Lewis. He’s a slicker striker and it’s in New Zealand. I think Mark Hunt pulls it off by knockout.”

Cormier picks Lewis: “The Black Beast will win.”

Mark Hunt on if he feels pressure fighting at home: “No pressure. I’m just looking forward to working in a couple of days. I respect Derrick. He’s hopefully clean. That’s the main thing. That’s all I ask for.”

Hunt on if there’s anything he’s concerned about fighting Lewis: “Not really. This is the best in the world. This is the heavyweight division. These are the big boys and they throw a lot of heat. Nothing I’ve never seen before. I’ve fought the best in the world.”

Hunt on if people ask him about retiring: “They always ask. I’ve still got an opportunity here with the UFC. I’ve got three fights left. I’ll quit when I’m ready. I’ll quit on my terms, when this body and this mind has had enough.”

Hunt on Lewis having momentum: “Yes he has. This is my hood. This is my area of the world. I’m going to knock his face off. I didn’t get up the last couple of times, because those guys are cheating pricks. If he’s clean, we’re going to get it on.”

VIDEO: Interview: Mark Hunt on fighting in New Zealand: This is my hood.
http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/video/962385987643

Derrick Lewis on asking to fight Hunt: “I believe when it’s time for me to renegotiate my contract, it’d be easier to get what I want. So I wanted the hard guys. I picked Mark. I wanted a tough one and I wanted to fight Mark.”

Lewis on if he’d rather fight for the title or fight Francis Ngannou: “Of course the title shot. That’s where you make the money. Then I’ll be wearing the suits like you. Every interviewer asks me about Ngannou.”

Lewis on if Hunt is the hardest test he’s had: “I don’t believe so, but we’ll see Sunday.”

Lewis on if his goal three years ago was to fight for the title: “That wasn’t my main goal. My goal is to make as much money as I can.”

VIDEO: Interview: Derrick Lewis explains why he picked Mark Hunt
http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/video/962385987569

Florian on Demetrious Johnson’s complaints with the UFC: “I don’t know the whole situation. I think some of his complaints are valid. You can do a lot more to market yourself, to take fights and be that guy who fights whoever. As a champ, that’s part of his responsibility. He’s been around a long time and I’d like to see him take the biggest fight possible. In the sport of boxing it’s taken a while for the smaller guys to get the recognition. It was the heavier weights that everyone watched. For Demetrious, there are a lot of things he could do to promote himself between the fights. And the UFC could do more as well. Both are at fault.”

Cormier on Johnson’s marketability: “I feel like he’s the guy who takes the fights when they call. He’s the most active champion in the UFC. There’s more than just being good to getting PPV and everything else. I think the responsibility can be shared between Demetrious and the UFC. The UFC doesn’t really know how to market him and they have to get creative. He’s small. He’s dominant. Even when Anderson Silva was running through the division, his points weren’t that high. I believe DJ has done his part so he has some valid points. As African American’s you have to market differently. The UFC doesn’t know how to do it with him yet. It hasn’t connected yet.”

Florian on if fans would want to see Johnson vs. Dillashaw: “People want to see super fights and this is a super fight. People want to see fights that they’re not sure what will happen. With the rest of the division and what he’s done, and the level of competition, he’s going to walk through the division. But with TJ Dillashaw, we don’t know if he will.”

Cormier believes Johnson should fight Dillashaw: “I think he should take it. It’s the biggest fight he could have. And it’s monumental because he’s trying to break the record. To do that over a former champion from the division higher, it’ll mean even more for him.”

VIDEO: Kenny Florian and Daniel Cormier discuss Demetrious Johnson speaking out on ‘mistreatment’ and ‘bullying’
http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/video/962385987604

TJ Dillashaw on if he’s fighting Johnson next: “As far as I know by talking to Dana, that’s the fight I’m training for. I can’t go back. I’m changing my whole body to get down in weight. I’m a pretty lean 135 pounder as it is. I’m coming down to his weight class, I’m sacrificing so he can defend his title the record time.”

Dillashaw on giving up his show purse if he misses weight: “Yes, I said it. But I’m not going to miss the weight. It’s not going happen.”

Dillashaw on if he’d fight Cody Garbrandt next instead: “Nothing’s off the table. It’ll take me some time to put the weight back on to fight 135. I’m in this crazy position to figure this out. It’s been frustrating, to say the least. I need to know sooner than later. I’m working my butt off.”

Dillashaw on if he’s experienced similar things that Johnson is complaining about: “I’ve been frustrated before. I’ve been trying to get my title shot for two years after I lost it, after Dana told me he thought I won the fight. Demetrious is complaining about being promoted and being paid, and this fight with me is going to do that. They’re giving him a fight that they can promote. Man up and do it.”

Dillashaw on why he deserves the shot at Johnson: “The competition I’ve beaten. I was going to fight for the belt but Cody got hurt. Joseph Benavidez was in line, but he’s hurt. Johnson wants a big fight. I’m not jumping in line. I’m ready to do it.”

VIDEO: Interview: T.J. Dillashaw says he won’t miss weight vs. Demetrious Johnson
http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/video/962385987623

VIDEO: Interview: Daniel Cormier in studio to talk training for UFC 214 and fighting Jon Jones
http://www.foxsports.com/watch/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd/video/962232899900