Los Angeles – The following quotes and videos are from tonight’s FS1 UFC 196 POSTFIGHT SHOW on FS1 hosted by Jay Glazer, with Dominick Cruz, Frankie Edgar and Brian Stann providing analysis. Ariel Helwani conducted interviews.
FOX UFC analyst Brian Stann on UFC 196: “Two come from behind wins tonight. It just proves you can look at all the tape and you think you know what will happen. But you just don’t know.”
Stann on the turning point in the McGregor vs. Diaz fight: “Nate Diaz started slow. The big question was how does Conor get inside the reach? It looked like Conor was waiting on the jab. Then, Diaz found his range and as he got bloody, he threw caution to wind and landed a combination and rocked him. When fight got to the ground, he got the choke. Nate has experience. He’s fought everyone. Conor punched himself out in round one. Nate started slow, and then picked it up.”
FOX UFC analyst Dominick Cruz on the difference the extra weight made in the fight: “The difference in the fight was the weight. It worked to Nate’s advantage – he was a little heavier and could take the punches. And he had power in his punches that was hurting Conor. But the extra weight made Conor tired, he’s a real featherweight. Conor’s power wasn’t enough at the higher weight.”
FOX UFC analyst Frankie Edgar on what’s next for McGregor: “I’m assuming he has no other choice but to come back down and defend his featherweight title and I’m waiting him. I know Aldo is vying for the rematch. He had his chance. Conor beat Aldo in 13 seconds. I’m coming for it and I’m getting my belt. There’s an unknown with me. I’m going to be bothering these guys. I want this fight.”
Nate Diaz on what he thought about fighting Conor: “Nothing surprised me, but I wasn’t getting training camp, that straight punch usually doesn’t hit me. I knew I was going to start slow and pick up as I go. My plan was to not use anything in the first round and pick up. It’s surprising I got hit, I shouldn’t get hit.”
Diaz on coming into the fight on short notice: “On my worst day I’ll train two hours. I don’t have hobbies. I’m always eating. I’ll have a day when I eat junk food and then go train the next day. I train harder than most guys. I’m a martial artist. Even if you can’t win, you should be able to not die. I had to do what I had to do. I put in a lot of time. Everything I have, I worked for.”
Diaz on what he used to get the win: “Cardio and skill. How long have I been in the game? I’ve been fighting 12 years. He’s where he’s at because of the push. I know I’m a better fighter than him. It’s hard to hate. The guy’s doing a good job. That was my 24th fight. There’s no experience like that. It’s a long road and I’m still going strong. I’ll say I’m done with this fight game, but in four months, I’ll be bored and will want to fight again. I’m in this game.”
Diaz on if he wants to fight Robbie Lawler next: “The biggest fights I can get, that’s what I’m going to take. Money talks, we’ll see what happens.
VIDEO: Watch Nate Diaz shock the world with a rear-naked choke submission against Conor McGregor in the 2nd round of UFC 196.
http://www.foxsports.com/video/UFC?vid=637877827623
VIDEO: Interview: Nate Diaz
Cruz on Tate fighting Holm: “You were ready for that long left hand that she throws and you landed that left hook. You were prepared for that left hand to come down the middle to time the takedowns.”
Tate on how she prepared to fight Holm: “She’s so calculated and crisp. She’s a southpaw and she splits off when she throws a punch and we timed going under it.”
Tate on her mindset going into the fifth round: “I had to go for it. Bryan said you have to go guns a blazing. I’m in it to win it. There’s still fight in me until the last bell. If I’m not down, I’m still in it and I’m going to try to finish the fight. Sometimes you’re fighting the clock too. I think I was down on the scorecard and you’ve got to get it. I went in there with a mindset that one way or another, it’s not going to a decision.”
Tate on the getting the finish on Holm: “She went out on the choke and she didn’t want to give up that belt. It’s a testament to her. We game-planned that she’d make a reckless mistakes on the ground because she didn’t want to stay down with me.” She’s really strong. Stay patient and believe there’s always a chance to win.
Tate on if she wants a rematch or fight Ronda next: “I haven’t gotten that far. I’ve got to eat a few cupcakes and drink a cold Budweiser and give it some time to let it sink in.”
VIDEO: Interview: Miesha Tate
VIDEO: Highlights: Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate
Holly Holm on what’s next: “I’ve got to go back to the drawing board and get better. I’ve got to keep improving. I thought I had rounds 1, 3, 4 and 5. I made a big mistake and let me guard down.”
Holm on her mistake in the fight: “I know the biggest mistake: I wasn’t fighting the hands and shouldn’t have let her get under me. I knew that going into the fight. I’m fine. My heart hurts. I just want to get back in there and get it back.”
VIDEO: Holly Holm talks about her heartbreaking loss at UFC 196 after losing her belt to Miesha Tate.
http://www.foxsports.com/video/UFC?vid=637985859954
Stann on what’s next for Holm: “She’s been there. She’s been knocked out as a boxing champion. We’ll see her back. We’ve all been there before.”
Dana White on Miesha Tate victory: “Miesha Tate has been one of the best fighters in the world for a long time. I knew stylistically it was a bad matchup for Holly. We guaranteed her a rematch with Ronda, but I won’t be that guy tonight. Sixteen years I’ve been doing it, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Miesha Tate is not a four-to-one dog. A guy has never moved up two weight classes, but that’s what makes it so fun. Conor looked unbelievable in the first round. In the first round, I was thinking he might be the best ever. You go out and promote a fight for what you think it’ll be and it becomes the fight you thought it would be.”
White on what’s next for Diaz: “He made so much money tonight we might never see him again. He might buy a yacht and sail out to sea and we’ll never see him.”
White on who’s going to fight for the title in the featherweight division: “I don’t know what Conor’s going to do. It makes all the sense in the world for him to defend the belt now against either Frankie or Jose. We’ll see when he wants to fight again. I love you Frankie, calm down. At the end of the day, I believe if Conor won he would have fought Robbie and might have never gone back.”
White on Ronda Rousey: “Ronda wasn’t watching the fight, I texted her what happened and she said had to get back to work.”
VIDEO: Dana White says Nate Diaz is planning on buying a yacht with all of the money he made at UFC 196 and might just sail off to sea.
VIDEO: Highlights: Watch highlights of Ilir Latifi’s unanimous decision win over Gian Villante at UFC 196.
http://www.foxsports.com/video/UFC?vid=637877827622
VIDEO: Hear from Conor McGregor as he humbly reflects on his loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 196.
http://www.foxsports.com/video/UFC?vid=638001731570