Maynard Prepares For Guida and Discusses College Intruders, Florian and Evans Break Down UFC 147 and Rousey Ready For UFC
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 this weekend’s UFC 147 and talk to Gray Maynard about his UFC on FX: Maynard vs. Guida bout. Plus, Ronda Rousey is ready for the UFC, while “UFC Tonight” Insider Ariel Helwani provides updates on Jose Aldo, Demetrious Johnson and Dominick Cruz’ injuries.
Quote of the Week: Gray Maynard on an intruder coming in his room during a college wrestling trip: “We had a scale in the room for people to check their weight. We [Gray and Rashad] were the team captains. Some guy walked in at three AM to check his weight. I heard a guy walk in and I was thinking someone is cutting weight late. Then I feel someone crawl into the other part of the bed with me and I realize it’s a guy I don’t even know. He’s drunk and he gets up naked with black socks and a tattoo. We tell him to get out of here and he starts putting on my clothes. We try to slap his hands, hitting him with towels. Then, suddenly, there is a knock on the door and a lady looks at him and signals with her finger for him to come here. And Rashad and I were just like did that really just happen?”
“UFC Tonight” Analyst Kenny Florian on what Wanderlei Silva and Rich Franklin have at stake in UFC 147: “You are talking about two legends going at it. So a win is really going to elevate their status. Rich wants to make a run at the 185 title again, and Wanderlei wants to be the top of the middleweight division. It’s going to come down to how much Wanderlei is able to counter Franklin. And he is going to have to take advantage and consistently counter throughout the fight. If Wanderlei can turn it into a brawl, he can win because Rich has been off for a long time.”
“UFC Tonight” Guest Analyst Rashad Evans on Wanderlei Silva vs. Rich Franklin II at UFC 147: “Well, I expect to see a little of the same that happened in the first fight. Rich was able to land the left a lot that made it hard for Wanderlei to counterpunch. If he does this again, Rich will get another decision. In that last fight, Rich got a little tired and Wanderlei was able to get some shots in. If Rich gets his left going, stays loose, doesn’t turn it into a brawl and doesn’t throw body kicks, he’ll be in good shape.”
Gray Maynard about fighting for the first time in eight months: “I’m feeling great. You know I’ve been all over the place - Brazil, AKA. It was a great camp, I learned a lot and I evolved a lot. And, I am prepared. I can’t wait to be back in the octagon.”
Maynard on why he decided to change camps: “You know, I hit a plateau and it’s a sport where there is a lot to learn, a lot of aspects, and you have to evolve or you get passed up.”
Maynard about how important wrestling will be in the upcoming fight with Clay Guida: “It is very important. You know I moved to AKA and there are a lot of guys up there who train every Tuesday on all takedowns. It’s a great place to evolve that too.”
Maynard on Guida’s hair: “I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. They inquired about it. The commission got back to him about it. I didn’t even know about it. I mean, you know, it came out, and it’s up to them. For me, I just fight.”
Florian on Guida’s hair: “Well, you know, it certainly is annoying. You have his hair in your face and when he gets on top of you it could be annoying. When I fought him, I thought it was a disadvantage for him because when you sweat and when we had blood involved, it was just getting in the way. It allowed me to fight at an advantage.”
Evans on what it’s like to switch camps, as Maynard has: “Well, whenever you switch camps you have a reason for switching camps. So he is probably feeling good about switching, but at the same time it’s new. You are getting to know new people. So at the same time, it is really stressful.”
Florian on Maynard switching camps: “I like to think that the fighter always knows best. And I like to think that it’s always a good change. You get to train with the guys who you want to train with.”
Evans on if ring rust is real: “If you stay on your game, stay with the training, when you are on your timing, the timing doesn’t go away. But I say yes, because when you get in the cage and the bright lights are on you, and it’s kind of cold, and the fans are screaming you name and then you start thinking that you are scared.”
Florian on ring rust: “It 100 percent depends on how hard you are training, and how much time you take off after a fight and how much time you take off in total. There is nothing like going out of one fight and heading straight into another - the smell, the look and the energy you get going into the cage.”
“UFC Tonight” Insider Helwani asks Ronda Rousey if she is getting recognized more after her recent victory over Miesha Tate: “A lot. The kind of reception I got is completely, 50 times, more than what I ever had to deal with before. I mean, I don’t think it has sunk in yet because I did the Olympics before and the attention is way more now.”
Helwani asks Rousey if she feels a responsibility to rep women in MMA: “I try not to think about it too much. If you sit around and think you have so much responsibility, then you stress out too much. I do what I’m doing and if people want to talk, that is their thing.”
Rousey on whether she thinks women will fight in the UFC: “I think it is a distinct possibility. Women are tough. We are clever. We are going to find a way to get anywhere. You can’t stop us.”
Florian on whether women will fight in the UFC: “I love the idea, but it is not going to happen. Not in the near future anyhow. There are not enough high level female fighters in each weight class. UFC is all about building stars up and if they only have one fight and that’s it, they can’t do that.”
Evans on whether women will fight in the UFC: “I agree and I don’t agree. If they had a super fight between Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey, it would be cool. But like Kenny said, there is not enough competition. If there was more of it, it might be worth the UFC implementing. But until then, I don’t think so.”
“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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