UFC 140 Press Conference Highlights, Notes and Video Interviews
Posted on October 12, 2011, 01:08 PM by Joey SantosusUFC President Dana White, alongside headliners Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida, were in attendance today at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for a special UFC 140 Press Conference. The much anticipated card will be headlined by a Light Heavyweight title clash pitting "Bones" against Machida, while former Heavyweight champs Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will go head to head in the co-main event. Also featured will be rapidly rising prospect Rory MacDonald taking on Brian Ebersole and top Featherweight contender Mark Hominick squaring off with "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung.
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Below are Highlights from todays UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida Press Conference:
Dana White
• I never said it was going to be Rashad Evans (fighting Jones), you guys said it was going to be Rashad. Rashad is hurt and Lyoto stepped up and took the fight. I told you guys I would deliver a fight for Canada.
• This (main event) is a fun one. I like this fight stylistically. I said it before that If Jon Jones could walk through Rampage (Jackson) they way he had everyone else, than he has arrived. He is the real deal. Machida is very elusive and he strikes from different angles. I'll say it again, if Jon Jones comes in and runs through Machida, the sky is the limit for this kid.
• I've said it many times, (Jon Jones) is the whole package. The thing that impressed me the most is, at such a young age, he's taking on such big names. He might not be a household name, but when he beat Vladimir Matyushenko I was blown away by how he did it. And then expecting this next fight to be against Rashad Evans and then having to instead face Machida, he's handling a lot of pressure at a young age. I'm very impressed.
• That's the thing, (Jon Jones) just whispered to me, "I can't look past these guys." He's got two tough guys ahead of him and Anderson (Silva) will probably end up fighting Chael Sonnen. We'll see what happens. Jon is 24-years-old, he's got some business to handle in the Light Heavyweight division before thinking about Anderson Silva.
Jon Jones
• No, (the trash talk) didn't bother me at all. It educated me on how to become a better professional. I would prefer for each fight to be a little more respectful. It is martial arts after all. But, I understand there are different fan-bases and some prefer that "Cage Fighter, I'm going knock you out stuff."
• Well, I feel my biggest advantage (against Machida) is my youth and versatility. And the way I approach the sport.
• I realize what I could lose in the fight that is in front of me now. So getting up for fights is not a problem. And as far as getting up for the Rashad fight, after all the drama it's a fight that I cannot lose. I am taught that no fight is a big fight, but with Rashad I am trying to tell myself it's not a big fight, but it's a huge fight. So as far as getting up for fights, I'm up.
• I don't think I'll be training with Georges St. Pierre leading up to this fight. He and Carlos Condit are both Greg Jackson fighters and I wouldn't want to jeopardize losing either friendship. So I think I ll just stay away for now.
• Yea (I bought a Bentley). God is good, definitely.
Lyoto Machida
• It's hard to say (what my biggest advantage will be against Jones), but maybe my experience will speak louder in this fight, but I'm not sure.
• (Getting the title shot) really caught me by surprise, but I believe everything happens for a reason. This is a business and I did not believe the UFC had anything against me. I knew my time would come.
• I guarantee that I will be very well prepared and I can overcome his athleticism with my technique.
• I feel very welcomed by the crowd here in Toronto. I fought a legend in Randy Couture here and I am very excited to be coming back.
• Anderson Silva has already called me and said he wants to come out to my hometown and show me some things and now I'm just waiting for that to happen.
UFC fighter Lyoto Machida, right, during a training session at the Black House gym in Gardena, California on October 20, 2009. Francis Specker
Comments
Lol... TJ, you do know that they are "training" partners right?
Lets get Stephen Seagal in there to help too
long before bones jones was ever in the picture, anderson has stated that lyoto is like his own brother.
I don't think the UFC likes Machida all that much after he requested Anderson Silva money to fight Tito -they just coulldn't come up with an alternate fighter cause there is none right now.
There is one quality I trust unflinchingly in Dana White and that is his desire to make money. There is still money to be made off of Machida, pure and simple.
I really don't think Dana holds a grudge in most cases--just like a lion-tamer doesn't feel angry after cracking the whip. Dana publicly whipped Lyoto and now he is all over that issue. Lyoto provided an object lesson to all the UFC fighters--and Dana is probably grateful to Lyoto for providing the opportunity to set a public precedent in displaying the UFC's committment to hold down costs.
Hi Codemaster!
I think you have made some very good points recently.
As a lion tamer myself, I can assure you that when I crack the whip, I am not feeling compassion for the lions behaivour. The lion needs to know that I mean business, or I'll be joining a long list of dead lion tamers, who didn't tame their lion.
I think the analogy is close though. Dana cracked the whip with Golden Glory, he cracked the whip with Machida... He is the dominant male in the world of MMA... what he says goes... overall, I'm grateful that the UFC has made our sport a viable training alternative to soccer, football...
With every upside, there is a downside, and some people see that the UFC has gone too commerical... At the end of the day, his team are world class promoters... and they get paid for what they have created!
ps, the lion taming I was referring to was a metophorical reference to challenges which needed to be overcome.
I died laughing from that lion tamer shit, nice one.
@Dray12
Thanks! :)
@odesahitman
The UFC does not give its top fighters the huge paydays like boxing does, but it still makes them millionaires. But they pay the mid-tier and lower-tier fighters better than boxing. In other words, they spread the money around more evenly than boxing.
Since the UFC got the big Fox TV deal, there will be more pressure to increase fighter pay. The UFC needs to keep a balance between competitive salaries and turning a profit.
When Lyoto got squashed publicly, it was Dana cracking the whip and telling every fighter under contract: "You need us more than we need you!".
I have a strong feeling Jon Jones is getting paid ALOT for taking this fight. Why else would he fight again before the end of the year, and take on Machida.
@Codemaster.
Thanks for the clarification
That reporters voice is something else 5:18
easy there fella, he's a disabled reporter.
if shogun and rampage, two of the most aggressive 205ers couldn't get inside, how is machida, who's ENTIRE career is based on his style of fighting on the outside and countering, going to stand a chance? machida needs to train nothing but wrestling and jiu jitsu to even stand a chance in this fight
jones by tko in the 4th
I see this being a cat and mouse affair with Jones prevailing in the end. Rua is the only fighter to ever undo Machida and i expect Jones will too, but Machida is one of the toughest LHWs there is due to his elusive style and he is dangeous too, just ask Evans or Couture, so a cautious fight by both I think with Jones growing in confidence as the fight goes on.
I see this as a very technical fight. Earlier someone used a "cat and mouse" analogy... Personally I have trouble predicting who will be the cat and who will be the mouse. At first glance due to his physical attributes, one might choose to presume that Jon will be the cat. Conversely, Machida may well have the predictability to make Jon Jones look like an oversized mouse.
I doubt this to be the case, but this a one fight I wouldn't like to call.
Let's see what the seagull has to drop on Jon Jones. (His friend)
it's still the machida after all!
Kick Jones knees maybeeeee 12 times, and the world will be shocked by the results.