UFC 133 headliners Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans took part in a media conference call today to promote their fight on August 6th. Below is a partial transcript of their statements (full audio and complete write-up will be published shortly). In summation, Ortiz claims he feels great and took the fight against Evans on short notice to be a better business partner with the UFC. By contrast, Evans is not looking to impress anyone but himself and noted how much he missed competing. He also had strong words for UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and his former coach Greg Jackson.
- "It's a whole new business complete. I'm still at the top of my game...Rashad's a top opponent. I'm going to fight with my hear and soul and do what I do."
- "I was getting ready for Mintauro when I was cut...I put 10 weeks in for Ryan Bader. It's been almost five months of training. After Bader fight, I took a week off...I haven't been around that much because of training...The fighter in me doubted the decision. I'm strong, I have no injuries. It took me a day to think about it...'You know what?, Let's do this'. I want to show I'm a business man for them.
- "On my honeymoon I got hit by a bus and defended my title against Yuki Kondo four months later...I don't question my shot, my takedown defense. I think that's doing the right physical therapy and having the best doctor..."
- "People love me or people hate me. I don't think my popularity hasn't gone anywhere but up, but there are haters...when it comes fight time, I go out and compete...in the last 5 years, there's been a problem doing that... but I've competed with the top guys in the world. I've got my surgeries done and kept my nose to the grindstone...between me and Dana, it's been good. The positive reinforcement from me has made me better in the gym. It's not nice to have positive reinforcement behind you."
- "I think it's a lot different on both sides...his shots are a lot better, he's a lot faster...I've gotten a lot better, I've gotten stronger not having my injuries anymore...I'm hungry, I don't feel like a 40-year old man anymore. I feel like a 30-year old man...I don't pay attention to that fight very much [the previous fight].
- "I've always been a huge Rocky fan, man...doesn't everything in life happen for a reason?...Philly is going to feed that much more emotionally for me..I'm willing to fight, I'm willing to step up. I want to put on an entertaining fight. I know I'm capable and I know I'm capable in Philly."
- "My advantages will be my heart...I'm prepared for anything and everything...I'm going in focused and positive that my hand will be raised."
- "Why do I gotta go? Just because I lost a few fights on decision, split decisions and draws?...
- "No, not at all. I have people who help me...I just oversee everything and comes from my heart...As far as injuries, I haven't had any problems since my neck surgery..."
- "I've been doing this since '97. I've paid the way for a lot of fighters."
- "Jon Jones is an amazing champion. He's a cool cat. As a competitor, he's fast, punches awkward, great wrestling ability. He's a threat...I'm excited and challenged. I gotta fight Rashad. He's the number one contender. all of the pressures on him."
- "I'm a different person than I was before. I feel really, really good."
- "I had back surgery literally eight months after that [the first Evans fight]."
- "I never knew I was going to be a MMA fighter...I didn't know what I was going to do..."
- "It took 8 or 9 hours to realize what was going. I think taking a week off helped me get rest....
- "Finally and thank god" in response to what he felt after he defeated Ryan Bader. "I feel strong, do great against my training partner. I feel really, really good...I gotta keep my focus, keep my nose to the grindstone, make sure everything stays sharp as it has."
- "I'm very interested to get back in the cage. It's been a long 14 months. A lot of up and downs inside and outside the cage...I love to compete....I had no idea I was going to be out this long. I'm happy to get back in there."
- "I think he's going to come out a little bit aggressive...I expect to see a Tito Ortiz re-energized, ready to go in there and put up a good fight."
- "I think Tito's definitely got a lot better striking from what I've seen...I'm not worried about his striking, to be honest...what I need to worry about is my own execution."
- "I'm trying to look great for myself...I want to feel good in there, take my time, be patient...trying to see where the fight goes.."
- "I felt horrible about the performance [against Tito the first time]...I'm a long ways from that right now."
- "when I came out here to south florida I didn't know how things were going to be...I didn't know if there could be situation to rival that one [Greg Jackson's]...it makes the grind of training that much easier, it's fun to be there. I don't think there's a reason to go back [to Jackson].
- "Never been to Philly before, but I'm a big Rocky fan, too. It's great to be fighting in a city with great fighting history..."
- "You really need a lot of time and coaches who spend a lot of time with you...after being a Jackson's for a while with so many ppl at the gym, it just got harder and harder for me to get that time...it gets a little bit stagnant, it's just one of those things: ok, how am I to reinvent myself if I'm pretty much learning the same thing?...it was good to come out here to have a freshness with guys who are thinking outside the box...
- "With the work of Dana White and the Fertitta, and The Ultimate Fighter show has done so much...having a chance to compete on the show, and having a chance to coach on the show. It was truly a great experience...It's helped the sport grow a lot...
- "I don't like Jon Jones. We'll leave it at that."
- "Having this time off let my body heal up, get better where i need to get better and take time doing it."
- "I miss the emotional roller coaster you go on...your mind just takes you on a journey...it's amazing to overcome all of those thoughts, all of those feelings and try to harness it for one moment...that is a ride that is so addictive it makes it hard for anyone to leave the cage...that's the hardest thing to walk away from."