BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME
“For somebody that talks a lot of trash, you’d think he would have a little thicker skin, but sometimes I’d say something to him and I could tell that I really hurt his feelings.” – Rashad Evans, on UFC 114 opponent Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Jackson must have been distraught at being sent a Snuggie and the “Q-U-I-T-T-I-N” moniker. (UFC.com)
“It motivated me to train harder than I ever trained. When I fought Wanderlei [Silva], I trained really hard. After that fight, I thought, ‘I didn’t think I could train so hard.’ For this one, I trained way harder.” – Jackson, who started preparations for the fight at 251 pounds. It’s unfortunate that the first half of your camp was spent getting you back into fighting shape. (MMA Torch)
“Quite honestly we had the worst Rampage eight weeks ago, and we’re going to have the absolute best Rampage come fight night, which is amazing.” – Jackson trainer Mike Dolce. Amazing.
“I can’t have my mind fogged up with stuff that he [Rampage] said about me. There’s gonna come a time in the fight where I may have to dig deep and use some of that fuel.” – Evans. Can you say foreshadowing?
“I’m not focused on a crazy gameplan, gameplan’s out the window…I trained to destroy.” – Jackson. Sounds like Rashad had a huge advantage if he prepared a quality gameplan for Jackson.
“The gameplan was simple. Not to have a gameplan at all.” – Evans. Oh boy. (Cage Writer)
“Do what I do well, know what he doesn’t do well and stay out of position I’m not too good at.” – Evans. Wait, that sounds oddly like a gameplan.
“I went out for a little bit.” – Evans, who was badly rocked in the middle of round three.
“I was very surprised he recovered. I put all my eggs in that basket.” – Jackson. All 251 pounds of your eggs.
“I guess ring rust is a factor. (The weight loss) was a lot of stress on me but I looked and felt good. It wasn’t factor in the fight.” – Jackson
WELL, AT LEAST YOU’VE GOT HOLLYWOOD
“I’m a fighter, but I tried to go into a whole new adventure and didn’t even know anything about tours and stuff in a movie. I had no idea I had to do this.” – Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, who stars as B.A. Baracus in the A-Team movie. I’m shocked “Rampage” dove into something without knowing all the details. Shocked. (Sherdog)
“I got to make a decision because it looks like it would be hard to do both if you’re gonna take time off and fight guys accountable here in the UFC…I’ve just got to think about which one I want to do.” – Jackson
I DON’T WANT THE FIGHT, BUT I WANT THE FIGHT
“I can’t fight hurt anymore. I can’t fight injured and look for excuses.” – Tito Ortiz, detailing why he opted for surgery instead of fighting Chuck Liddell at UFC 115. (MMA Torch)
“I was completely against [the fight with Tito Ortiz]. I told Dana (White) I don’t mind doing it if you think it’s going to be good for us or a good way for me to come back after some time off, but it made no sense for me to fight him.” – Liddell, who joins every serious MMA fan in their hatred of a third Liddell-Ortiz bout. (MMA Weekly)
“I think because of the way it went down and what he did, I think if he wants to come back he should have to fight me.” – Liddell. But, I thought…you didn’t…want it…?
ARTICLE V OF THE UFC HALL OF FAME: HALL OF FAME WILL ONLY HOUSE ACTIVE FIGHTERS
“I just never thought about it, to be honest, so yeah, it came out of the blue.” – Matt Hughes, who was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame at the UFC 114 Fan Expo. (MMA Torch)
“I really thought a lot about it the first couple of days after Dana told me, and I really didn’t know what to think about it. I’ve always been the type of guy who thought that somebody who gets inducted into the Hall of Fame needs to be a retired individual.” – Hughes. Kind of like writing an autobiography before you’ve ended your career.
GEORGES ST-PIERRE TELLS EVERYONE TO EAT DOG DOO DOO
“I fight safe, and I’m not going to hide it.” – UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre (MMA Junkie)
“I’m not going to give names, but if I would tell you names, you would know who’s a brawler (and) who’s not and who now has a problem with his career because he got hit too much. They can’t take a punch anymore.” – St-Pierre
“I don’t fight like an idiot. That’s what defines me.” – St-Pierre, living the Camp Jackson credo.
“I’m (not the) champion because I’m the strongest guy in the division. It’s not because I’m the fastest guy. I’m not the best grappler. I’m not the best striker. I’m not the best wrestler. But why I’m champion is because I fight smart every single fight.” – St-Pierre. Actually, it is because you’re the best wrestler.
WHITE NOISE
“I was like, ‘Holy S—!'” UFC President Dana White, detailing his reaction to Mike Russow‘s knock out over Todd Duffee. (Fanhouse)
“I’m not [Sanchez’s] manager, but I think he should stay at [lightweight].” – White. Really? You’re not his manager? Then maybe you should shut the f— up about his career then, huh? (MMA Junkie)
“I don’t like golf. You know what I do? I don’t f—— watch it! What’s golf? A bunch of rich dicks walking around in stupid clothes and hitting a f—— ball. If we stopped that s—, we could build housing for people who can’t afford it on that land. And you have a problem with UFC? Come on, man.” – White. Just like those rich dicks walking around in stupid clothes at the casino, dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars at the blackjack table. We could building housing for people who couldn’t afford it with that money. (Weekly Seven)
“The real world is no one gives a s—, the real world is hard and you gotta get out there and you gotta overcome adversity to get where you wanna be.” – White, on Dan Miller‘s personal situation leading up to his UFC 114 fight.Do you wanna be a f—— fighter? (MMA Fighting)
“We have no beef. It’s — he’s not a team player. His personality — you’re never going get along with Koscheck and hang out and be good buddies with him.” – White, on Josh Koscheck. Who would want to be a “team player” for a prick who says things like “in the real world, no one gives a s—“? (MMA Fighting)
“The A-Team is the big summer hit this year, and from what I’m hearing from the guys in Hollywood, Rampage [nailed] it. He did an awesome job.” – White, changing his tune on Quinton Jackson’s movie career. (Miami Herald)
PARTING SHOTS
“What Rashad said was real. Did Rampage comment on that? If it was false Rampage would’ve been like, `I’m not an Uncle Tom.'” – “King” Mo Lawal, addressing the Jackson/Evans “Uncle Tom” accusations. Isn’t this the dude that dresses up with a crown, accompanied by a bevy of young women, and dances to the cage? (Cage Writer)
“Somebody mentioned a three-round war… it ain’t going to be a three-round war.” – Michael Bisping, who fought a three round war with Dan Miller at UFC 114. (Fighters Only)
“I’ve made statements and stuff you know if you hate me, I hate you, I don’t care, I don’t care if you don’t like me to be honest with you.” – Tim Sylvia (Sherdog)
“Through my career, I’ve pushed for certain fights, and I don’t know if it’s Joe’s personality or what, but I think he’s not an Alan Belcher fan.” – Alan Belcher. As a man of reason and taste, I think Joe Silva hates seeing that abortion of a Johnny Cash tattoo dancing around in his Octagon. (Sherdog)