Strikeforce: Houston media conference call highlights

Strikeforce: Houston participants King Mo, "Feijao" Cavalcante, Bobby Lashley, and the promotion's CEO Scott Coker answered on media questions regarding the August 21st event, which will take place at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Strikeforce: Houston will be headlined by the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight title fight between King Mo and Rafael Cavalcante, as the Vacant Middleweight Title fight between Tim Kennedy and Jacare Souza will serve as the co-main event.

Here's the best bits from the media call. Props to BloodyElbow.com and ProMMANow for the summary.

King Mo:

"King" Mo feels like rankings are a joke because some random dude in Budapest might be able to beat everyone.

Mo wouldn't predict how a fight with him and Anderson would go, but said that anyone can be beat with the right gameplan.

On challenging for the Strikeforce Heavyweight title: “I wouldn’t mind fighting Fabrico Werdum, who’s the top dog right now. I  wouldn’t mind fighting at heavyweight a few times. I just like fighting. A belt is a belt. I fight because I like to fight first and for the belt second.

On if he feels pressure having an unbeaten record: “I’ve only been fighting for two years. There’s no pressure on me whatsoever. If there’s pressure on anybody it’s Feijao. He has the name. He’s been fighting longer and he’s been training longer. I remember watching Feijao just mashing people in the IFL. I think people look at me as having the bigger name but I don’t care. I think he’s the favorite. I’m the underdog even though I’m the champ."

Bobby Lashley:

Bobby Lashley talked a lot about training with Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier at A.K.A. He feels he has a very good idea of where his ability is at after training with them and would like to move on to better competition if he beats Chad Griggs.

Lashley had the line of the call after a reporter asked if Mo was on the line. Lashley remarked, "I think we'd know if 'King' Mo was on the line."

On when he plans to fight for the Strikeforce Heavyweight title: “Hopefully at the first part of next year. I don’t know when my next fight will be. That’s up to Scott Coker to decide. I’m not going to take any time off. I like to train and I want to stay conditioned. After this fight I just hope to keep training and get that title shot next year, early 2011."

Wrestling skills an preparation for the fight: “I’ve had a good amount of confidence going into each of my fights. I have 20 years of wrestling experience and three national championships and I came in second at the world championships. So I know people are thinking they have to avoid the take down with me. With this fight I know I have my wrestling ability but there are other things I would like to work on. One thing my coach at the Olympic Training Center used to say was, ‘You could lie to the media, you could lie to everyone else, but once you get back to your hotel the night before your fight you can’t lie to yourself.’ At this point I can look at myself and say I’m 100 percent ready for this fight.

Scott Coker:

On what's the current stage of negotiations between him and M-1 Global:"We have ongoing dialogue even as recent as last weekend, and it's an ongoing process," he said. "I feel we'll come to when Fedor fights and who Fedor fights ... we'll probably have that put together in the next couple weeks."

"When I first saw Bobby Lashley fight I thought, ‘God, this guy is an amazing fighter and a great athlete.’ He was working out with the guys at AKA (in San Jose) and he has definitely made that commitment to make a successful crossover from wrestling to MMA. With me, I always think, ‘What is Bobby going to look like 18 months from now. Or a year from now.’ With his abilities and his size and strength I really think the sky is the limit. But he has to get through Chad first on the 21st. That has to be the first thing on the top of his mind. We have five of the top heavyweights in the world now. And Bobby fits right into that. The good thing about it is if you keep winning, you will get your shot at a title. Bobby needs to just keep winning."

Chad Griggs:

“I do work a full-time job as a firefighter and paramedic. I’ve been doing that for 10 years, through my entire fight career. It gives me a lot of time to train, basically 20 days off a month to train. It is a juggling act. You definitely have to balance your time right. My last fight I did injure my elbow and took some time off. But I’ve been around the scene and training.

I’m glad to hear that Bobby’s so confident. I appreciate him taking this fight and for STRIKEFORCE for putting me out there. I’m going to put it all out there."

Rafael Cavalcante:

“I have been working hard for not just this fight, but for my dream, every day for six years.

“When you have a job like a fighter you have to learn to be a full-time fighter. That’s what I’ve learned. You eat healthy food and work at maintaining your weight.

“I don’t think King Mo is going to want to stay on the ground with me. I will be ready for whatever style he wants. If he wants to stand up, I will stand up. If he wants to go to the ground, we will go to the ground.”