“UFC – Fight for the Troops 2” conference call with Evan Dunham, Melvin Guillard and Dana White (notes and audio)

ProMMAnow.com (www.prommanow.com) was on the phone Tuesday for the UFC’s “Fight for the Troops 2” media conference call featuring headliners Evan Dunham and Melvin Guillard, as well as UFC President Dana White.

Both fighters and White talked about what it meant to them and the privilege they felt for being able to fight for our country’s soldiers and to help support such a great cause as the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.

“Fight for the Troops 2” will take place Jan. 22 at the Fort Hood military base in Killeen, Texas, and is put on free of charge exclusively for active duty military members there at the base. The main card will air live on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

In addition to discussing the “Fight for the Troops 2” event, several other topics were discussed and White made the official announcement that Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos would be the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter season 13 which debuts March 30 on Spike TV.

White answered several question regarding The Ultimate Fighter season 13, including his opinion on having Lesnar and dos Santos as coaches and how they arrived at the decision.

NOTE: The TUF 13 coach announcement and discussion starts at the 37:40 mark.

UFC conference call audio:

[podcast]https://prommanow.com/audio/fightfortroops2.mp3[/podcast]

The following are just a few notes and quotes from the call. This is by no means a complete summary of the call but more of a general overview and also does not include any of the notes from the announcement regarding the TUF 13 coaches. For more info about TUF 13 and the coaches, listen to the audio and/or go here: Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos officially announced as coaches for The Ultimate Fighter season 13.

DANA WHITE

Raised over 4 million in 2008 for the troops – helped build a center in Washington. Money this year will go toward research. Auction items on FightForTheTroops.com

Want to air it in Canada and make it a tribute to the Canadian troops as well, who are fighting alongside the U.S. troops.

Why the UFC partnered with this project – It’s sad but when these guys come home “the government doesn’t take care of them.”

“We know times are tough for everybody. Whatever we can raise is great for this cause.”

Believes Evan Dunham got screwed in his last fight, thinks he should have been awarded the victory.

We do these things inside of a hangar. They take the tanks and jets out. Tickets (free) are only available for active military.

The commanding officers on base decide how the tickets are distributed.

Pettis vs. Guida is not a done deal but a fight we’re talking about.

If Hominick wins he gets a shot at the title against Aldo in Toronto.

EVAN DUNHAM

These guys sacrifice everything for us. I think it will be a great show for them and a way to show our appreciation for them.

I split my time at Xtreme Couture and Throwdown training center.

I don’t have any time frames on anything. I just worry about one thing at a time. My only concern right now is getting through Melvin on the 22nd. I try not to look too much ahead. I know if I take care of what’s in front of me then good things will happen down the road.

I don’t have any time frame, but that is the goal though, I want to hold that belt.

It definitely sucks to have your undefeated record taken away like that, but it is what it is. Like I said before, there’s no going back and changing it. As far as dealing with the loss, I’ve lost as an amateur before and I know how to come back from them. It’s a bummer and I’ve got to deal with it the best I can. That fight happened the way it did for a reason and that’s how I’m looking at it.

When asked about how it felt to hear Dana say he still considers him undefeated and he won the Sherk fight: I really appreciate them looking at it like that. It’s a good thing to hear and it’s motivating and helps keep my head up.

MELVIN GUILLARD

I will be a UFC champion in 2011. I went undefeated in 2010 and I called that at the beginning of 2010.

I believe Evan Dunham is undefeated and won that Sherk fight.

Rashad Evans, Jon Jones, Marquardt, Donald Cerrone, Clay Guida, Cub Swanson. Credits Jones and Evans with really helping improve his style.

My uncle is a four star general and I come from a military family. … Just being on this card in general is an honor in itself. … They work so hard to protect us year after year, it’s just a blessing. It’s part of being an American and I’m honored.

Overall, I thought the fight was a draw. I gave Frankie two and four and the fifth round a draw. Gray Maynard will bounce back.

Dana White relocated him to Utah to live with Josh Burkman after Hurricane Katrina.