04/17/2012
UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans Predictions, UFC on FUEL TV: Gustafsson vs. Silva Recap and “Chael’s Corner” on MMA Media’s Overeem Fail
Show airs Tuesday nights at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT
LOS ANGELES, CA – On this week’s “UFC Tonight,” Host Todd Harris, Analyst Kenny Florian, and Insider Ariel Helwani discuss the upcoming UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans title fight, recap UFC on FUEL TV: Gustafsson vs. Silva and Chael Sonnen has some harsh words for how the media has treated the Overeem situation in “Chael’s Corner.”
Quote of the Week: “UFC Tonight” Analyst Kenny Florian on Jones’ advantages in the fight with Evans: “He has an 84-and-a-half-inch reach, the longest in the UFC. And a big issue is his talent level. He has the ability to mix things up. He’s on a different level than most fighters. The reality is Jones should beat every 205 in the world nine out of ten times.”
Florian on Evans’ advantage in the fight with Jones: “The issue is the verbal battle between the two. Evans has been beating Jones verbally for the last six weeks. That can really get into your head.”
“UFC Tonight” Insider Ariel Helwani on Rashad Evans holding a bigger grudge with former coach Greg Jackson than with Jon Jones: “Rashad is holding a bigger grudge with Jackson than Jones. Rashad said Greg never called him to talk to him about the fight. Jackson said he wanted to let Rashad cool down before he talked to him, but he never has cooled down.”
Helwani on Jones’ and Evans’ personal rivalry calming down: “I have noticed that recently Jon and Rashad have developed a new-found respect for each other. They might not be best friends or train with each other in the future, but the trash talking will die out after the fight and they’ll have a new respect for each other.”
Florian on what Evans has to do to beat Jon Jones: “Evans could be the Joe Frazier to [Jones’] Ali. He has the power to take down Jones. If he can get inside of him, he has the takedown ability. He has to get in there and do it quick. He can’t make it a technical fight. He has to keep moving his head. He has the power in his hands and feet to get inside and to eventually break Jon Jones.”
Helwani about Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills: “I asked Rory about what he thinks about fighting Che and he said he didn’t even know who Che Mills was when the fight was announced, and the first thing he did was Google him. Rory doesn’t do a lot of research on his opponents. He just goes out and fights them. Rory needs to win this to keep moving up the division.”
Florian on other fights on the UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans card to watch: “I think the Torres and McDonald fight will be a barn burner. These two guys are finishers and they’re going to go at it. It’s a very important fight in that weight class. McDonald is just a killer. He’s an impressive striker and is very aggressive.”
Florian on Gustafsson’s victory: “He was on fire that night. I thought it was a brilliant performance. The way he was moving around the cage, he looked like a veteran. There must have been a lot of pressure on him in his home town. He’s only 25 years old. It was the first event in Sweden. He looked so poised and fluid. This was a tough fight, but he made it look easy out there.”
Florian on where Gustafsson ranks in the division: “I think this was a huge fight for him. This was the biggest test of his career. He’s one of the top in the 205 class. But I don’t think he’s ready for Jon Jones yet. I’d like to see him fight one or two more times. Beating a guy like Thiago Silva confirms that he’s one of the best. The sky’s the limit for him. Maybe in another two fights he’ll be ready for a title fight.”
Florian on Stann’s knockout of Sakara: “You wouldn’t have known he was fighting with a heavy heart. He hurt Sakara. He looked phenomenal. It was a short punch that knocked him out – that’s the kind of power that he possesses.”
“Chael’s Corner:” Chael Sonnen addressing the coverage of Overeem by the MMA media: “Congratulations to MMA media, right when I think you’re incompetence can’t get to any higher level, the Alistair Overeem story comes out. If I’m a member of the media and someone tells me that Alistair Overeem failed a drug test, the very first thing I’m going to say is: ‘Really? What substance did he test positive for?’ Alistair Overeem did not test positive for anything. End of story.”
Florian’s reaction to “Chael’s Corner:” “Has Overeem gotten fair shake by the media? Probably not. But if you have common sense, then you know something’s up. His T-to-E ratio is 14-to-1. The only way he got there is he’s probably taking something. But Chael’s making a case like a lawyer. In the end of the day, there will be a legal meeting to see if Overeem fights.”
“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.
