UFC 134: Rio Press Conference Highlights
Posted on June 16, 2011, 03:08 PM by Joey Santosus
Dana White, alongside a majority of the event's main card competitors, were in attendance today for a special press conference in Brazil ahead of the upcoming UFC 134: Rio card, set to take place August 27th from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The card, which features an all star line-up of native talent, will be headlined by Middleweight Champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva putting his title on the line against perennial contender and the last man to claim a victory over him, Yushin "Thunder" Okami. Former Light Heavyweight champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua looks to avenge his loss against Forrest Griffin in the co-main event, while Heavyweight veteran Antonio "Rodrigo" Nogueira looks to derail the rise of TUF 10 finalist Brendan Schaub. Also scheduled, Lightweight strikers Edson Barboza and Ross Pearson battle it out for a chance to move up in the promotion's most crowded division and the heavy-handed Luiz Cane takes on Stanislav Nedkov.
UFC 134: Rio Press Conference Highlights (via MMAMania.com):
Dana White
• Anderson Silva is the greatest mixed martial artist ever. Period.
• Yushin Okami "dominated" Nate Marquardt to become the number one contender.
• The winner of the Brendan Schaub and "Big Nog" fight will be "in the mix" in the heavyweight division
Anderson Silva
• This is the Brazilian soccer team against the world, basically. I'm very happy to be in Brazil. It's more motivation and I'll give my best to represent my country and my Brazilian fans as well.
• Just to correct you, I did not lose (to Yushin Okami).
Forrest Griffin
• I'm honored to fight Shogun down here. I know Shogun wasn't 100% the first time we fought. He's changed a lot, that was his first fight in the UFC. Now, this is my first fight in Rio so the advantages that I had in the first one, he'll have in the second one so it all works out.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
• I've always fought against the tough foreign crowd and it will be a great thing to fight in Brazil for the first time. I think that my team is going to be fighting on the same night and I can't miss an opportunity to fight in Brazil. I dedicated myself in physical therapy coming from three surgeries on my knees and on my hip. I did everything to make sure I could fight here.
Brendan Schaub
• I think I have the advantage on the feet and I'm confident on the ground against him. I like to beat guys at their own game and I have a tremendous passion for Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Comments
Does Brendan Schaub really have a shot of beating Big Nog on the ground?... lol i really don't see that happening!..
Brendan is young, strong, and very hungry and may very well beat the older Big Nog anywhere the fight goes. I just don't think Brendan is ready for the likes of JDS or Cain--that is a title shot, yet.
well anything can happened, no one thought Phil davis would dominate lil nog on the ground
He does... If he gets him there by landing a big punch and gets a quick ground and pound stoppage.
If Forrest beats Shogun and Schaub beats big Nog? AS will beat Okami, but the other 2 are probable upsets for Rio fans...
Forrest won't beat Shogun this time
you never know, forrest looked good against rich and shogun had never been brutalized in the way he just was by jones, i imagine it can affect you
yeah right ninja he wont beat shogun. Just like their first fight. Forrest wont beat Franklin, Forrest wont beat tito, Forrest wont beat Rampage! Forrest wont beat anyone! Im pretty tired of hearing that everytime Forrest has a fight. I think i never seen Forrest as a overdog before.
@HugeCleavage He was the fav against Franklin n Tito the 2nd time.....n obviously hes gonna b underdog to Rampage who was the champ just beating Hendo n underdog to Shogun who was coming from Pride recently becoming the Pride GP champ n also obviously I'm gonna say hes not gonna beat Shogun have u seen my profile pic??? Shogun is my fav fighter got him over anyone
@Ninja yeah i dont blame you for cheering for shogun i like shogun too! But Forrest was not the favour agianst Franklin im 110& sure about that. And the tito fight everebody was saying forrest is done and shit even in the ufc site and many other mma sites where they have ''Picks'' for the fights. Forrest was underdog in every site.
Everyone seems to alw3ays count Forrest out against the higher tier, but he's beaten some pretty game opponent, especially as underdog. I see him wrestling this one out
horrible presse:, the sound was bad, the question were stupid and dana made an overzealous and foolish statement.
Quit your bitching and enjoy the damn show... and yes Forrest just happens to be my hero and he's gonna win:)
after AS and J.Jones defend their respective titles, hope to see them in a superfight for the LHW Championship early 2012 - been a long time since we saw a superfight
i see GSP vs Silva before Jones vs Silva just because of the length of winning streaks/title defenses makes for more interesting battle. Jones should defend his title 3-4 times before even thinking of a superfight
I'm not racist at all but I don't remember Okami looking like such a zipper head. Anyways, don't count Okami out but I'm sure AS will take it in the 2nd round via tko.
Wow Forrest if you thought he wasn't 100% last time just wait until you see him this time.
I hope Rua has gotten over his ring rust and long layoff. Griffin and Rua could be a classic fight in the making. Schaub and Big Nog I think this will be the cross road fight for both fighters. Can Nog still hang with with the top fighters in the HW or is it time for him to hang up the gloves like Cro Cop. Is Schaub ready to take that next step and be considered in the mix with the Top HW in the UFC if he loses then it would be a devastating set back for his career. After Okami who will Silva fight next? so will Silva will have to move up to 205 and have a run at Jones title or can Okami pull off an upset of the year Silva in Brazil.