UFC 136 Workout Interviews With Chael Sonnen, Brian Stann, Kenny Florian, Frankie Edgar And More

MMA Nation was in attendance at yesterday's open workouts for UFC 136 and spoke with UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo through a translator. Aldo is preparing for his second UFC title defense, this time against Kenny Florian. The Brazilian phenom has been dealing with many questions about his ability to keep fighting at featherweight. Aldo, who is considered by many to be one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world, dealt with fans who questioned his ability to make the appropriate weight cut after fading against Mark Hominick at UFC 129 in Toronto in what was ultimately a winning effort.. 

This week, the UFC released a video of Aldo's horrific cut to 145lbs for his fight with Hominick. Unbeknownst at the time, he was dealing with medial issues that made the cut even more impossible. Aldo, who is 25, is finally growing into his body and knows that his time at 145lbs is limited. His translator explains, "He said it's not up to him. It's up to Andre Pederneiras his coach, the managers, the UFC to really knows what time will be the perfect time to go up but right now he feels that there are enough challenges at 145."

Speaking of the difficult weight cut, Aldo's translator insists "this time is gonna be a lot easier. The last time he hadn't fought for a few months so he was out of the weight cutting loop for a little while so it was a little harder but this time he came in a lot lighter and it's gonna be a lot easier." 

His opponent this week is Florian, a two-time lightweight title challenger and runner-up in the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. While Florian has come up short in his previous attempts to capture UFC gold, he does present some problems for the young Brazilian fighter. Among them is Florian's well-known ability to fight measured and not get caught in a brawl. Aldo agrees, his translator says, telling us "he's not even sure that he should be expecting Kenny to be attacking all the time. He thinks that Kenny will have a real strategic fight. A very smart fight and try and counter attack him but it's a matter of stepping in there and seeing what happens."

Perhaps most importantly, Aldo addressed some concerns he has been overlooked by the UFC as this is his second title defense in the co-main event role. It is a valid question with many people sharing the opinion the casual UFC fan will never accept the lighter weight classes.

It's the equivalent of crocodile tears from the media who ignore the very apparent fact that UFC 136 is home to two lighter weight title fights. Aldo agrees via his translator who said, "it doesn't matter. He just wants to be part of history and part of this event."

If Aldo makes history on Saturday and eventually moves to lightweight, his days as an anonymous champion aren't long for this world.

MMA Nation and the media spoke with UFC lightweight contender Melvin Guillard following the UFC 136 workouts on Thursday afternoon. Before facing Joe Lauzon on Saturday, 'The Young Assassin' has been reflecting. It hasn't always been easy for the fighter from Louisiana who has faced personal demons that have held him back time and time again. Guillard, who has finally turned a corner in his career, is in a position to take the next big step and potentially be granted a title shot should he defeat Joe Lauzon on Saturday. 

Melvin decided to leave his long time camp at Greg Jackson's academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico to train with long time friend and teammate Rashad Evans at Imperial athletics (although it should be noted Evans was not there during camp). Even though he has made the change of camp, he doesn't believe it has changed his style of fighting at all. In fact, he believes it has improved the skills he already possessed. He explains, "It hasn't that changed that much. Like I've been telling everybody. I already had my style of fighting that I invented myself a long time ago."

"But it's always good to get help from world class trainers," Guillard insisted. "My agent brought in Henriq, he's a dutch kickboxing champion from Holland, I couldn't wait to go work with him. And honestly, since I worked with him, I've hit five or six times harder than what I was hitting. All because the Dutch way of fighting is very powerful. He showed me some ways of channeling my punches and kicks into a little bit more power. I'm excited myself for Saturday because I'm excited to see what's about to happen."

Although he has worked at Imperial, he hasn't written off his relationship with the Greg Jackson camp. Instead, Guillard feels at this point in his career, he needs to not worry about himself and his own future as a fighter. "Yes, I'm still training in Albuquerque. Yes, I'm still affiliated with Jackson's. But I have to make decisions in my career that's gonna help Melvin", he insisted. "I don't care about the egos or whatever Rashad and Jon [Jones] got going on. They're both my good friends. Rashad's like a brother to me since season two of The Ultimate Fighter. I'll never turn my back on either one of those guys. I just hope that they can sort this stuff out and get their stuff together."

"I'm not the middle man. I'm there for me," Guillard said sternly. "Right now, it's sad to say but I have to be selfish to a sense because I have to get my title. Those guys have already tasted success. They know what it feels like to be champion and have Dana put that belt around their waist. I haven't tasted that yet. Right now I think I have a good formula for success and I'm gonna stick to it."

One of the lesser known facts about Guillard is that he is the cousin of current Strikeforce heavyweight Daniel Cormier. Although Cormier is the more experienced wrestler, it is Guillard who would be considered the veteran fighter of the family. He spoke about Cormier's abilities and why MMA is such a good transition for wrestlers coming out of college. "Daniel's a great guy. He coached me when I was on the national team in Louisiana. Awesome wrestler. He's come a long way man. I'm proud of him," he said.

"I haven't seen him in a while. Hopefully I get to see him again pretty soon. They all thought I was crazy when I was 15 and 16 doing MMA. I remember those guys telling me, 'Man you're too young. That sport's wicked.' Now, I see all them have their retirement plan from wrestling to MMA. That's all MMA is man. It's a good retirement plan to come out of collegiate wrestling and come out of Olympic wrestling and make a lot of money. Wrestlers dominate this sport."

MMA Nation spoke with Gray Maynard as he prepares for his UFC 136 lightweight title fight against champion Frankie Edgar. Maynard and Edgar have a bit of history together with Maynard winning the first meeting by a clear unanimous decision. The second time was the controversial event that saw the fight end in a draw. Edgar went home with the belt. Maynard went home with a bad taste in his mouth. 

At yesterday's post-presser media scrum, UFC President Dana White explained that the loser of Maynard/Edgar III would be far removed from the lightweight title picture. When asked if that was something that he thought about headed into the UFC 136 bout with Edgar, Maynard was brutally honest, saying "it's always motivation. The belt is. I don't dwell on if I lose or if I do this. I come in here to win."

While Maynard may be entering this bout with confidence he'll win the belt, he isn't coming with hatred towards his opponent. He's more frustrated the second bout ended in a draw and he allowed the fight to go to the judges. Maynard views this as his opportunity to prove Edgar's ability to endure can't be repeated and it is Maynard who deserves to be the new lightweight champion. "Before January first, it was kind of just get past it. Then the draw happened and I've just been motivated and it's all I care about," Maynard told the media. "I'm pumped to get in there in a couple nights. He's a good guy, everyone will tell you that he is a nice guy, " he insisted.

"I'm more angry at the draw. And how did I allow that to happen. I'm pumped to have it again. And to prove to everybody that I can beat him. It's always on me. Judges judge. That's what they call. But for me, I have to make it happen. I have to take that bull by the horns to prove that I'm the man that deserves the belt."

The two were originally scheduled to meet in May before both were sidelined by coinciding injuries. For many fighters this could be an emotional roller coaster and cause them to lose focus on the endgame. Maynard doesn't see it that way.

In fact, Maynard is choosing to see the glass as very much half full. The injury allowed him to prepare even more for Egdar and expand his skills. "For me, I like to train. I like to plan. I had a good camp before the 28th bout. A couple injuries but still the planning, the training all the way through," said Maynard. "It helps to prepare you. And then I had three or four weeks off because of the injury and then I was preparing again. A lot of preparation. That's great for me. I love that. It's time well spent."

UFC 136 marks the return of Chael Sonnen to the UFC after serving a year-long suspension for testing positive for elevated testosterone levels follow a failing effort in his title fight against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. MMA Nation caught up with the middleweight fighter after today's UFC 136 open workouts to get his thoughts on his return. 

Sonnen is generally considered one of the best or most effective wrestlers in the UFC's middleweight division. Sonnen, however, doesn't view himself as a wrestler. "I haven't been a wrestler for some time," said the former NCAA All-American. "I stopped wrestling in 2003, so I never counted on that going into a fight, being able to wrestle somebody. It's hard to win a fight wrestling. You have to go out there and fight."

Sonnen has been outspoken in his desire to rematch Silva, hoping to prove the submission loss was a fluke. He isn't taking Brian Stann - his UFC 136 opponent - lightly, though. Instead, his view is that no matter the outcome, he needs to move on with his career. "I try not to dwell on any event and Brian could beat me. I could beat him. I don't know what's gonna happen in there. I like those odds, 50/50. It doesn't matter either way. Either way you have to go forward", he says. "Time is the only thing that goes one way, forward. Whatever's next is next. I don't focus on matches, some guys do, I don't."

The outspoken middleweight is dealing with questions of ring rust and whether it could be a factor in his fight this weekend. For a man who has stayed active competitively his entire life, the layoff hasn't been the easiest fourteen months of his life. "It was tough for me," says Sonnen. "I never had to wear those shoes. I've always stayed real busy competing since I was nine years old. In wrestling I'd wrestle and compete five times a week. Every Saturday, have five, six, seven matches for my entire life. So taking 14 months with no competition was new. It was tough. It's been tough. I'm still going through it."

Sonnen was questioned about UFC President Dana White's comments regarding the future number one contender for Silva's belt at yesterday's post-press conference media scrum. According to White, the winner of this weekend's Sonnen vs. Stann match would be the number one middleweight contender. Yet, Sonnen would be willing to wait in order to give long time friend and teammate Dan Henderson the first crack at the champion. "I'm in complete support of Dan Henderson and I hope his career is great wherever he goes," Sonnen confessed. "I don't know if he has an interest in going to 185, but I imagine he could be talked into if if Dana asked him to but he could cover three different weight classes from heavyweight, 205, and 185 so I got his back either way."

Chael Sonnen enters his match with Brian Stann on the path towards redemption. How he performs Saturday will decide his future in the UFC and potentially MMA. He needs to live up to his words and prove to fans he is truly one of the best fighters in the world. Otherwise, it may all be too late.

No matter how many fights he wins, the questions linger.

MMA Nation caught up with UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at the UFC 136 open workouts. Edgar is set to face Gray Maynard for the third time in his career and will be defending his UFC lightweight title in the process. As Edgar told the media today, he hopes to not only defend his title but also pick up his first win against the lightweight fighter from Las Vegas. In their two previous meetings, he's lost and drawn.

For the past two years, Edgar has had to focus on only two opponents in B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard. There are questions regarding if there is a benefit to being able to focus on and prepare for one fighter over an extended period of time. Edgar's responded saying, "having to fight the same guy twice has brought the best out of myself. It's forced me to come up with I wouldn't say a different style but just making sure I have a repeat performance and an even better performance."

"Camp is what it is, man" Edgar said. "It's never easy. Whether it's a new guy or the same guy. If anything maybe the same guy is a little more challenging because you have to come up with a new game plan."

The champion also weighed-in on whether he believes  Maynard would make changes to his game plan for this third and final meeting. "I'm sure he's gonna change some things up," said the champion. "I'm sure he's gonna try and hit me with a big shot. I think a little more takedowns. Who knows, man? It's a guessing games."

It's the doubt that Edgar seemingly can't escape. If it's not about his chances or his performance, it's about his future.

Edgar also spoke about the belief that many fans and pundits share that his optimal weight class may be at featherweight. He was candid in saying, "I think me having the belt proves I belong at lightweight. I think it definitely erased some doubt in some peoples mind. I fought one of the biggest guys in the class, took his best, and was able to bounce back."

If Edgar can get by Maynard in their third meeting, however, that may only raise the clamoring for Edgar to face an elite featherweight. Most notably, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. First things first, though: a third fight with Maynard this Saturday. Whether or not he faces Aldo or another elite lightweight next, no one knows. But one thing is for sure: Edgar, slowly but surely, is silencing the doubts and erasing the questions.