Issue 086
March 2012
“[I was] a little bummed out to see Frank Mir break Rodrigo Nogueira’s arm [at UFC 140] and not check to see if he was OK after the fight. Also to see Jon Jones drop Lyoto Machida on his face after he knew that he was out. Safety and well-being of your brothers after you share sweat and blood, then don’t care about their well-being [is] leaving a statement for the next generation of fighters that [could] do it to you someday.”
Wise words from former fight great and current world-class trainer Erik Paulson
“In my mind, I was hoping that he would tap. Like, ‘Please, please make this easy for me. That looks like it’s on.’ I definitely [had a] heightened awareness at that time. I was really focused on that arm. But that’s how Antonio became who he is – he didn’t get there by giving up.”
Third man Herb Dean allows a rare peak inside the mid-fight mind of a referee
“I just couldn’t get back refocused. In the training room, I did it just fine. But inside the Octagon, I didn’t come back like I do. I was going, ‘Where am I?’ Usually, by the end of the 60 seconds I’m recharged. I wasn’t recharged at all. I was more tired than when I sat down.”
Even a 31-fight veteran like Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller can get the dreaded Octagon adrenaline dump
“When a guy decides he wants to retire, that’s his thing, man. This isn’t a game where you say, ‘You know what, maybe I’ll play two or three more years of this,’ go hit a ball with a stick and all that s**t. This is the real deal, man. You don’t half ass this stuff. When you know it’s over, it’s over. The hard part is when I think it’s over and the other guy doesn’t.”
Dana White on retirement, in the wake of Brock Lesnar’s surprise departure from MMA
“I am from Paraiba, and we always come to fight and let it all hang out. But I learned a lesson: we should not fight for the money but for the love of fighting. After Alistair Overeem dropped out of the Strikeforce tournament, I wanted out of the grand prix, as well, but I continued for the money and God punished me. Money should never be the priority.”
Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva doesn’t want to let it all hang out for money ever again
“I have better things to do than beat the guy across the cage from me with an inefficient and unsophisticated modern fad that helps effeminate men feel tough. Jiu-jitsu, Tae Bo; no difference. I prefer the ancient sports, like wrestling. If it wouldn’t show up in a Ridley Scott movie, I won’t do it.”
Chael. Sonnen. Gold. Mine.
“[Jake Shields] won the fight by getting on top of me and humping my leg. I think the current scoring system favors wrestlers too much. You can punch a guy 10 times in the face, but if he takes you down and cuddles with you, they give the round to that guy. It is what it is.”
Danish striker Martin Kampmann and Chael Sonnen strongly differ on their opinion of America’s martial art
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