In Their Own Words: The Week’s Noteworthy MMA Quotes

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (Photo courtesy of 5th Round)

“Chael has good wrestling. The first fight, I broke my ribs, I fought with broken ribs. But that’s okay, I finished the fight and I win. But this time I am ready. I am training hard, this is a different fight. My opinion for Chael is that this guy does not respect nothing. This time in this sport is very important. The people watching the UFC, the people that watch Chael Sonnen talking, they are like ‘What? What is this sport? I don’t like this sport. This guy doesn’t respect nothing.’ I understand sometimes you need to promote the fight but, I don’t know. Chael talks about my people in Brazil, about my wife, about the older fighters. It’s his problem, it’s no good, it’s no good promotion, this is a sport. I love my sport. I love it and I respect the older people and the older fighters of the sport. This is a great time for the sport. But Chael maybe does not understand this; his problem is he talks too much. It is no good.”
- Anderson Silva was a guest on ESPN Radio, and he spoke on his arch nemesis, Chael Sonen.

“All four of her MMA wins so far have arrived inside the first minute, and she has yet to face anybody that has so much as tested her, let alone come close to disfiguring her face and beating her. She’s been carefully matched, she’s been pampered and she’s been protected. The truth is, going into this world title fight with me, Ronda is still to discover whether she is even a real fighter. However, on March 3rd, the night we meet for my Strikeforce world bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey will learn just how hard and horrible the sport of mixed martial arts can be. I will take great pleasure in dragging her into deep waters for the first time in her life and then drowning her there.”
- Miesha Tate gave her opinion on Ronda Rousey via her blog.

“I get to fight in Japan for the first time in six years. It’s no secret I love Japan. Japan is where I became a MMA fighter, it is where I made a name for myself and learned how to kick ass. The fans there are so respectful; I can’t wait to perform for them again. I really, really want a sick knockout for them, and maybe even I’ll do my powerbomb if Bader is dumb enough to give me the chance. Some haters have said now that I didn’t get my belt back after three years of waiting for my shot, I’m not going to be motivated in my fighting career. That is what my English friends call ‘bollocks.’ I am very motivated to kick Bader’s ass. I was a little pissed off and disappointed that I didn’t get my belt back and I was upset with my performance [at UFC 135]. I’m going to take that out on Ryan Bader and – in front of the Japanese fight fans – put on a great fight.”
- Quinton “Rampage” Jackson spoke to Yahoo Sports about his upcoming opponent, Ryan Bader.

“I’m so excited. Like, as soon as they told me, I was coyote hunting, I couldn’t even coyote hunt and I love hunting. I was so excited I was like, ‘Hey guys, I gotta go home.’ I started watching film, doing stuff for that. Man, I just can’t wait. I thought I was excited for Jon Fitch but actually it’s this fight that I’m really excited for. … I believe I’m better than him everywhere the fight goes. Actually I just can’t wait to hit him, put this left hand on him and see what happens.”
- Johny Hendricks talked to UFC.com about fighting Josh Koscheck.

“I think I should’ve been clearer on what I want and who I want to fight. I think I can beat Carlos Condit, and that’s really the fight I want. That’s the fight I’m hoping and praying for – but it’s not my decision. It’s absolutely what I want, though. I’ve fought him before, and now I’m a completely different fighter. I know I can beat him and it’s definitely the fight I want. Carlos has said he wants to wait, and while I can understand his position, it doesn’t stop me from wanting that fight.”
- Jake Ellenberger told HeavyMMA that his most desired fight would be against Carlos Condit.

“I feel very good. I’m ahead of schedule. I feel sometimes I want to do a little bit more but even though I feel good my graft is not fused properly, 100-percent. I need to remain calm. The danger with a lot of athletes is to push through the pain and try to go to fast. If I do so, it might loosen up the graft and I might have to start the old process again and I don’t want to do that.”
- Georges St- Pierre explained on UFC Ultimate Insider that he is recovery quicker than expected.

“I think with a full camp, I’ll finish him. Obviously I’m not fighting Anderson Silva next, but if I was, that would be my prediction. I’m confident with myself; you have to be as a fighter. I have a lot of respect for Anderson Silva, I think he’s awesome. I don’t know who I’m fighting next, I don’t know when. I was hoping to fight in May, because that’s in New Jersey and it’s another FOX card. I would love to be on FOX again. But it’s wherever the UFC feels I’m at. I’m down.”
- Chris Weidman told TheGARV what he is capable of with a full training camp.

“I want to keep on getting bigger and working my way up to 290 (pounds) or something like that.  That’s the thing, at the weigh-ins I want people to look up to me and say, ‘Oh (expletive), I don’t want to fight this guy tomorrow.’ “
- Stefan Struve told MMA DieHards that he plans to be larger and more intimidating in future bouts.

“He doesn’t want to fight Machida. He doesn’t want to wait. He’s going to have to wait. Who does he want to fight? I don’t know what to do with Dan. Dan’s either going to have to wait for (Jon) Jones or wait for (Anderson) Silva. Or fight somebody else.”
- Dana White explained to mmafighting.com that his options with Dan Henderson are limited.

“I’m doing this big push, I’m trying to get back into the UFC and I think I deserve to be there. … I was in the UFC back when there was five to six shows a year. Now there are shows every three weeks, so they have to put guys in like (Christian) Morecraft, Joey Beltran, Stefan Struve; the list goes on and on. I don’t understand why any of these guys are in the UFC, and to be frankly honest, I think I knock them out in the first round. I’m ready. I can beat 80 percent of the guys in the UFC. If you don’t think I can, how about you make a push and try to get me into the UFC just to see me get my ass kicked.”
- Tim Sylvia announced via The Underground that he is vying to get back in the Octagon.

“I have no beef with Tim Sylvia whatsoever, I have nothing against the guy, but I say it all the time, that was when the division was the weakest, when he was champion. And for him to make a statement like he could come back and beat 80-percent of the fighters in the UFC? I don’t know what Tim Sylvia’s been doing. The last time I saw him, he got knocked out by a 50-year-old boxer in like 10 seconds. Who’d he beat? They guy’s just out there trying to get back into the UFC, trying to make a living, I get it, but he fought in the UFC when the UFC heavyweight division was its weakest. Him and Arlovski were knocking each other out every weekend.”
- White denounced ant rumors of Sylvia possibly returning to the UFC in the UFC on FUEL TV post-fight show.

“We trained together and we had good times, but this competition has come between our friendship, which sucks. I do miss being friends with the guy. But its business, and he’s coming after my championship. I’ve gotta do what I’ve gotta do. It might be a little awkward punching him in the face, but I’m sure the first time he swings at me, it will get reactionary. I’d like to get to a point of being cordial, but to be friends again is not necessary. There’s thousands of wonderful people in the world I can meet. After all that’s been said, we can just live our lives. Respect is all that’s necessary for me.”
- Jon Jones talked to Yahoo Sports about restoring the friendship he once had with Rashad Evans.