06/23/2012
UFC ON FX: MAYNARD VS. GUIDA Recap and Analysis, UFC 147 Weigh-in Clips
LOS ANGELES, CA – The following are quotes from the “UFC Postfight Show on FUEL TV” following UFC ON FX: MAYNARD VS GUIDA. Jay Glazer hosted the show, with analysis from former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans and Mark Munoz. Ariel Helwani conducted exclusive postfight interviews backstage. Here’s some of what was said:
“UFC Postfight Show on FUEL TV” Analyst Rashad Evans on Gray Maynard vs. Clay Guida: “I didn’t know Guida could bounce so much. But, he had a rhythm and a lot of movement. We knew this was going to be an exciting fight, but no one expected Clay Guida to be the Gingerbread Man. But, he was moving around a lot and he was able to land some significant shots and frustrate Gray. Gray gave him a lot of pressure and that’s what got him the win.”
“UFC Postfight Show on FUEL TV” Analyst Mark Munoz on Maynard vs. Guida: “Guida had a lot of movement and capitalized with the right and landed a few kicks and stunned Gray. But, I mean Gray stopped him and cornered him off a few times and really had his way with him. Anytime you have a broken rhythm, it’s hard to get back on it, but he was working on capitalizing on his rhythm. Gray was taunting him and bringing him on. Guida landed the right kick because of his unconventional movement.”
Evans on whether he agrees with the decision on Maynard vs. Guida: “I agree with the decision. I think that if Guida would have thrown a better takedown, it would have looked a little different. But, a lot of the times it just looked like he was just running. Even though the referee gave him the warning, the warning should have come a little earlier because it would have made Guida fight a little more.”
Gray Maynard on his victory over Clay Guida: “He had a plan, but you’ve got to change that up. You can’t hit, hit and then go all the way across. You can’t do that. You’re trying to take all the chance out of it. It’s a fight when you’re in there, swinging, moving. I was trying to go for him. Obviously, it was a couple of sprints here and there. Good thing I hired a sprinting coach. I was trying to stalk him down. I was getting flustered. I was expecting a brawl.”
Maynard on whether the referee should have taken a point away from Guida for running away: “If the ref can, he can. I’m not telling people how to do their jobs. Mine is to fight.”
Maynard on changing camps and what’s next: “It was a new camp, new home. I had a plan. I tried to scrap it up and I was hungry for this fight and the belt. I love this sport and am pumped to get back in the sport. I want the belt. I’m back in it. The whole goal is the belt and the top of the world.”
Insider Ariel Helwani asks UFC President Dana White about not being impressed with the main card: “I am not a trainer or a corner man for anybody, but after being around I know you don’t want to fight by running. And I saw a lot of Guida fans on Twitter saying, great footwork. But, this guy is one of those guys who is always in your face, aggressive, and wears you out or goes out on a shield. He [Guida] is one of those guys. But, some goof put it in his head that running around in circles would win him the fight and he lost. I don’t know how they rated that fight? It was clearly a blowout by Maynard.”
Helwani asks White about the referee’s warning to Guida: “They are supposed to do it. A couple of the refs in Vegas let the fight go five rounds without saying anything. But, they are supposed to do it. If you are not advancing your position, you are supposed to be stood up. I think this is the best commission in the county. They stood guys up when they needed to. I wish they would have done it in the second round, but they didn’t. It’s called timidity.”
White on how he thought Maynard looked: “It is hard to tell how a guy looks when you’re fighting a guy who is running around for five rounds. But what he did do was press at Clay, literally running after Guida trying to hit him. The ref warned him in the fifth round. He should have been warned him in the second. If only one guy is willing to fight, you can’t have a fight.”
White on how he feels about coming back to Atlantic City: “This isn’t how I wanted to come back to Atlantic City. The crowd was fired up. The fans went from Guida fans to Maynard fans. Not exactly how I was expecting to come back. I would have bet anything that this fight would have been exciting.”
White on Spencer Fisher vs. Sam Stout: “I thought Fisher won the fight. I think if you get your head punched in for four minutes and then just get a take down at the end of a round, you don’t win the round. It is different if a guy gets a takedown with a minute or two minutes left and he does a ton of damage from the top position. This guy [Stout] was on top and was doing no damage. The guy who was on his feet wrecking the guy for four minutes, should win that round. It just makes no sense to me. I think the guy [Fisher] looked awesome tonight and I thought he won that fight.”
Helwani asks White if Wanderlei Silva has to win tomorrow: “I love the guy. And yes, if he takes some crazy damage in this fight and gets knocked down, he and I are going to have a talk. But, give him a break and let the guy take a shot and see what he can do. I have said it many times, Silva was a Pride fighter and my arch nemesis for many years. But, since he has stepped into the UFC he has been nothing but a stud. It’s almost like he was in the UFC his whole career.”
Munoz on Brian Ebersole vs. TJ Waldburger: “In the beginning, Ebersole came out and got shot at and got caught with that jab. But, then he got on top and landed some punches and took the fight away from TJ. When he was on top, he was trying to end the fight right there.”
Munoz on Ebersole vs. Waldburger: “Ebersole experienced some adversity in the beginning. He got hit with a hard one and then he got caught and was changing colors. But, he gets out and lands a good kick and some Donkey Kong punches.”
Evans on Ebersole vs. Waldburger: “When Ebersole was in those positions and got him [Waldburger] on the ground he was landing some excellent ground and pound. Ground and pound was the biggest difference because it showed he was in control of the ground position.”
Helwani asks Ebersole how tight the choke was on him: “I wouldn’t have tapped no matter what. It wasn’t that tight. He didn’t have an angle. He only had one side of my neck and not the other. I could have stayed there for a while. I remember pushing him back so far he had to roll on his back. I knew that was his style, to jump for submissions. And, I knew I was going to have to scramble.”
Helwani asks Ebersole how hurt he was: “You know, he put me on my butt. It didn’t hurt, but anytime you get knocked down you are wondering what the judges are thinking, but it was my job to show them I had it in me. I had to show my jiu jitsu. I have a back injury, so I was worried about being on the ground with this kid.”
Evans on the keys to Sam Stout beating Spencer Fisher: “This was an exciting fight. I didn’t know where it was going to go. Fisher found range early and Stout got the takedowns and showed his experience. The difference in the fight was getting those takedowns. It kept Fisher off balance. That’s something that he’s worked hard on in his game.”
Munoz on Fisher’s flaws in the fight against Stout: “Fisher was standing up straight and trying to throw power, but that’s how you get taken down.”
Stout on using takedowns in his win over Fisher: “Yeah, it’s something I’ve been working on for a long time - my overall mixed martial arts plan. I knew that the takedowns would catch him off guard.”
Stout on how he feels after the win and what the victory means to him: “I feel great. My shin is sore and my face is swollen, but I’m still better off than he was after the last fight. It was a very familiar feeling being out there with him. Going into the last round, I was like: ‘here we go, round nine.’ It was a big win for me. Spencer was my first fight in the UFC. It’s his last fight. It was kind of a poetic way to end the trilogy. It’s a huge weight off my shoulders.”
Munoz on Cub Swanson’s win over Ross Pearson: “Cub was smooth with his striking and utilizing the angles, with a barrage of strikes.”
Evans on Swanson’s performance: “He was creative in his striking and very unique with his style. He’s out there having fun. That’s what catches people off balance, doing things people are not expecting, just like Jon Jones.
Swanson on what changed in his life that helped him get the victory: “I’ve always said it was my injury. I had a life-or-death experience. Going into every fight, I fight like it’s my last. I have metal plates in my face now and if I have another surgery, then I might not fight again.”
Swanson on how he beat Pearson: “I knew I was landing punches and could see his expressions. He was pretty strong. That made me backpedal and I knew that would wear him out. I got a good shot on his chin.”
Swanson on where he goes next: “I keep serious and do the same things I’ve been doing. It’s hard to go into fights with confidence when you’ve had ups and downs. But, I’m going to take this momentum and make a move for the title.”
Below are UFC 147 Weigh-in on FUEL TV clips:
