UFC Tonight airs Tuesdays 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT
LOS ANGELES, CA – On this week’s “UFC Tonight,” Host Todd Harris and Analyst Kenny Florian are joined by Guest Analyst and Former Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans to preview Ellenberger vs. Kampmann and “The Ultimate Fighter Live” Finale, while Jay Glazer checks in with BJ Penn on a possible comeback. “UFC Tonight” Insider Ariel Helwani reports on Jon Jones’ hearing and Brock Lesnar’s possible return to the UFC.
Quote of the Week: “UFC Tonight” Insider Ariel Helwani on Ellenberger’s mindset going into the fight vs. Martin Kampmann: “Both guys are really excited about this fight. It is a huge fight for them. As for Jake Ellenberger, he is calm and collected, but he is getting annoyed that he is being overlooked as a contender in the Welterweight division. If he wins on Friday night, he has a speech prepared. He is probably going to call someone out. That could be [Johny} Hendricks, [Carlos] Condit or even GSP [Georges St-Pierre].”
“UFC Tonight” Analyst Kenny Florian on calling people out: “Anytime you are trying to make a name for yourself or trying to get a title fight, you don’t want to get lost among other people, and sometimes you have to talk a little to get noticed. Sometimes just fighting isn’t enough.”
Helwani on Kampmann’s mindset going into the fight: “I spoke to Kampmann yesterday and he said that yes, he understands that Ellenberger is a stronger wrestler, but he would like the fight to go the ground because he sees some holes in his technique. He just doesn’t want to let this fight go to the judges.”
Florian breaks down Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann’s strengths: “The thing that is most impressive about Jake Ellenberger is his footwork. Nice wide base; level changing; doing a great job of going backwards. He is always in the right position at the right time and that’s a hard skill for a fighter to master. He’s always in the perfect range, but never allows his opponents to strike him or take him down. Kampmann is very dangerous with the guillotine choke. He showed at the end of his last fight that he has a tremendous amount of heart.”
“UFC Tonight” Guest Analyst Rashad Evans on the nerves of “The Ultimate Fighter Live” finalists going into the fight: “They are going to be a bit nervous, but because they used to be teammates, they are going to have familiarities with each other. On the season I was on, I fought two of my teammates. But, because they are familiar with each other this will be the least stressful fight in terms of UFC. When you train with them you know them, and it alleviates the pressure.”
Florian on Junior dos Santos’ victory over Frank Mir: “dos Santos is just a different level of athlete. Everything he did was just quicker than Mir. Even when Mir had the opportunity early on to take him down, it was really his speed that kept him there. When he gets in, he is a killer. Once he sensed Frank Mir was hurt, he destroyed him. He was rocking Frank Mir every opportunity he had.”
Evans on dos Santos’ victory over Mir: “Even his footwork is another step ahead. That’s why Frank had a difficult time because his standup was just not there.”
Evans on whether someone can beat dos Santos: “I have got to say yes. I think someone can beat him. I am training with him. Alistair Overeem. There is another one, Black Fedor -- Daniel Cormier. He is the new Strikeforce champion. I’m telling you when he gets into the UFC, he is going to be a problem.”
Florian on whether someone can beat dos Santos: “I want to throw Cain Velasquez in there. He looked like he was on a mission against Bigfoot Silva. He just took him down. He was surgical about his takedowns. I think he can give dos Santos a problem.”
BJ Penn tells Jay Glazer about a possible comeback: “I mean, right after my last fight I had no interest in fighting, but I am kind of warming up to the idea. Everywhere I go people are telling me to get back into the ring and I think it is working a little. No timetable, it isn’t going to be anytime in the next few months, that’s for sure.”
Penn if he is likely to make a comeback: “Maybe.”
Penn comments on a possible Josh Koscheck fight: “I was just as surprised as you were to hear that. I don’t know if the UFC talked to him. I haven’t talked to Josh about it, so your guess is as good as mine.”
Penn on what fight would entice him to comeback: “The thing about the UFC is that the landscape is constantly changing. I guess whatever makes sense. I don’t want any freebie fights. I would like to put together a fight that makes sense for everyone; for the fighters, the fans and the organization -- a big fight.”
Florian on if Penn should return: “I had a chance to speak with Penn in Sweden and he asked me how retirement was. And I asked him back. And he said he was enjoying it. He just had a baby girl and he is enjoying the family thing. But, as a fighter I know that the fire is still burning inside him and as Evans said, you don’t want to go out like that.”
“UFC Tonight” Host Todd Harris reports on UFC 147: “According to Dana White, Vitor Belfort broke his hand while training and will not fight on UFC 147. No replacement has been made. Wanderlei Silva doesn’t believe the accident saying on Twitter: ‘Nobody punches so hard in training that they break their hand. I think he chickened out. If he was afraid, he couldn’t have accepted the fight.’”
Harris reports what Vitor Belfort’s wife, Joana Prado, said on Twitter: “The only thing Wanderlei can do is talk too much, he chickened out several times on fighting Vitor. And now he comes to mention that my husband is ducking? Wand's next opponent, at UFC147 will beat Vitor Belfort's record of 40 or Chris Leben's 20 seconds hahahaha.”
Evans on Prado’s Tweets: “Can’t have tough fight talk from the wife [laughing]. I’m going to start having tough words from my mom.”
“UFC Tonight” Analyst Ariel Helwani on Brock Lesnar’s appearance on UFC 146 and a possible return: “Well, right now we don’t know the answer to that question. He texted Dana a few days before UFC 146, saying that he wanted to attend the event. This was kind of weird because even before he didn’t attend fights. He had a meeting with Dana after the fight, but we don’t really know what is going on.”
Helwani on Mayhem Miller’s future: “As far as his future is concerned, he is out of the UFC. The UFC has cut him. So, subsequently he retired. As far as the incident, the only thing he can think of is that right before he was going to walk out to the Octagon he was told to take off the mask that he was wearing. He felt that that messed with his psyche and he didn’t take it off. If that is the incident, then it clearly upset Dana White.”
Helwani on Jon Jones’ next steps after his “guilty” plea: “Next for him is that he has to stay out of trouble between now and June 19. On June 19, he is due back in court where he will receive his plea bargain, which says that he must remain out of trouble for a year, take classes, pay the fines and also put a breathalyzer in his car that will make him take a test before he begins to drive his car. He has agreed to this and if he sticks with it, he won’t have to take any further penalties.”
Evans on whether he was surprised by Jon Jones’ DWI: “Honestly, it is hard to really say if it surprised me. I hate to see that happen to someone. Thankfully, no one got hurt and hopefully he can move forward from it.”
“UFC Tonight” is the official weekly news and information show of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, airing every Tuesday night at 10:00 PM ET on FUEL TV. The show is co-hosted by veteran UFC fighter and multiple title contender Kenny Florian and former UFC host and WEC Announcer Todd Harris. Two-time World MMA Awards Journalist of the Year Ariel Helwani adds insider news.
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