The UFC will host a conference call to promote UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill today at 2 p.m. ET. Scheduled to appear on the call are former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Matt Hamill, former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, and Roy “Big Country” Nelson.
Follow Mike Fagan on Twitter for live updates. Check back here at Bloody Elbow following the call for a recap of the proceedings.
UFC 130 takes place live next Saturday from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, at 9 p.m. ET.
Recap
Rampage:
-I’m lighter at this point than I have been in a long time.
-Title fight is the last thing on my mind.
-I’m always surprised when judges give me a decision, especially after the Forrest Griffin fight.
-I’ve been fighting a long time, and I have common sense. There was no way I could have taken a fight on 4-5 weeks notice.
-There’s no secret how much weight I put on in between fights.
-First time I fought Shogun, I was injured. If I fight him a second time, I want to be as close to 100% as possible.
-I’m not really excited about fighting anybody. This is my career. I have 40 fights, I don’t get excited anymore.
-If anyone is smart, they should have an exit plan coming out of a combat sport.
-I want to be remembered as one of the most exciting fighters. That’s important to me.
-I think Matt made a mistake when he said he’s going to break my will. That lit a fire under my ass.
-I’m going to break his will. I want to outclass him.
-I’ve thought it since the day I started fighting. I don’t want to fight past 35. I said it years ago.
Hamill:
-I think I can beat Rampage, and I thank him for giving me the opportunity.
-I’m very excited about my movie. It’s coming out this fall.
-Rampage is a big name, and I think he can take me to another level.
-I think Rampage doesn’t believe I’m in his league, but I want to prove that I am
-I learned from my mistakes fighting Rich Franklin. I did have a hard time fighting him.
-I have a good chin, but anyone can get knocked out. I have to avoid that.
-I feel like I’m in the semifinals of a wrestling bracket. I’ve never lost in the semifinals of a wrestling bracket.
Mir:
-I think I match up well with dos Santos. He has excellent hands, but I think he eschews wrestling, jiu-jitsu, etc.
-I thought Lesnar/JDS was even, depending on how Lesnar recovered from Cain. Thought JDS would have a problem on the floor.
-I think a title shot depends on our performances. I haven’t looked past this fight, though. Roy’s a pretty tough guy.
-I always look forward to fighting in Vegas because this was where I was born and raised.
-I’m always trying to become a mixed martial artist and a fighter, but there’s a guy across the cage trying to do the same thing.
-Obviously, I listen to criticism about my fights. It affects future paydays. Ultimately, winning is paramount.
Nelson:
-You’ve always got to be scared of Frank. He’s a true mixed martial artist. He knocked out Mirko, and he’s bigger/stronger than JDS.
-This has been a 10-month camp so far.
Full card rundown:
Pay-per-view
Light Heavyweight: Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Hamill
Heavyweight: Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson
Heavyweight: Stefan Struve vs. Travis Browne
Welterweight: Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story
Middleweight: Brian Stann vs. Jorge SantiagoSpike TV
Bantamweight: Miguel Torres vs. Demetrious Johnson
Middleweight: Kendall Grove vs. Tim BoetschLightweight: Gleison Tibau vs. Bart Palaszewski
Bantamweight: Michael McDonald vs. Chris Cariaso
Bantamweight: Renan Barao vs. Cole Escovedo