Countdown to UFC 126 premieres Wednesday night on Spike at 7:00 p.m ET; Thursday morning on UFC.com:
Anderson Silva: “Before the fight, fighters can say whatever they want. A parrot can say he can sing like a canary, but once you get inside the Octagon it all changes. That’s what I’m training for, to go there and win, but only God knows.”
Vitor Belfort: “The beginning is easy. The thing is to finish the race. I have the ability, I have the talent; I have everything I can do to beat him up. The plan is to defeat him, for sure.”
Forrest Griffin: “This is a huge fight because I have not won a fight in a year. If I want to do this, if I want to be in this game and be on the big cards then I need to win a fight.”
Rich Franklin: “Preparing for this fight is no different than preparing for a fight that I had 5 years ago. Get in the gym, I bust my butt and I work hard. I out work other people, that’s how I win.”
Jon Jones: “You’re going to see the skinny kid defend himself against the bull and I think that is going to be awesome to watch. I feel 100% that I’ve already won this fight.”
Ryan Bader: “I think the best way to stop the Jon Jones hype train is to leave him laying on the mat.”
Main bouts:
Anderson Silva (27-4) -280 vs. Vitor Belfort (19-8) +225
Forrest Griffin (17-6) +145 vs. Rich Franklin (28-5) -175
Jake Ellenberger (22-5) -400 vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha (9-0) +260
Jon Jones (11-1) -350 vs. Ryan Bader (12-0) +270
Miguel Torres (38-3) -400 vs. Antonio Banuelos (18-6) +325On Spike:
Donald Cerrone (13-3) vs. Paul Kelly (11-3)
Chad Mendes (9-0) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (12-8-1)Preliminary card:
Paul Taylor (10-6-1) vs. Gabe Ruediger (17-6)
Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto (18-3) -140 vs. Demetrious Johnson (7-1) +115
Kyle Kingsbury (9-2) vs. Ricardo Romero (11-1)
Mike Pierce (11-3) vs. Kenny Robertson (10-0)