On this week’s UFC TONIGHT, we have an exclusive interview with Chael Sonnen leading up to his fight at UFC FIGHT NIGHT: SHOGUN VS. SONNEN. Plus, guest host Daniel Cormier sounds off on Roy Nelson and much more on UFC TONIGHT.
Chael Sonnen on what’s going to happen during his fight vs. Shogun: “On August 17, a fight’s going to take place and everyone’s screen saver will be Wanderlei’s face. Not scowling or pouting or pounding his fist, or stumbling with English or rolling his wrist, but watching in horror as docs try to wake his little henchman Shogun who made the mistake of cutting in line on my way to his boss, and ended up knocked out and trying to explain the loss. Sitting at the press conference table with Wanderlei outside, hailing a cab for the panic-filled ride to Logan Airport, or better still to the docks, to stow away, on a boat to Brazil to get away from this gangster right here, who will eventually will leave him face down and end his career.”
UFC TONIGHT host Kenny Florian on Shogun vs. Sonnen: “Shogun vs. Sonnen is a clash of styles. Chael loves to wrestle his opponents down and keeps a brutal pace. He loves the ground and pound. But Shogun has a ton of experience, is a former UFC and PRIDE champion, the guy has seen and done it all.”
UFC TONIGHT guest host Daniel Cormier on Shogun’s keys to victory: “Shogun Rua, if he’s healthy, he goes forward and makes his opponents uncomfortable. He’s very accurate and very dangerous. He’s among the best in light heavyweight history. His keys to victory are to disrupt Chael’s rhythm by going forward, use the Thai Clinch to keep Chael from taking him down, and employ the butterfly guard to get back up.”
Florian on Sonnen’s keys to victory: “Chael must stay busy, get takedowns, and stay active. His keys to victory are to get in boxing range to set up takedowns, pass the guard, and pace himself. He’s the smaller guy and he’ll be pushing around a bigger guy.”
Cormier on how Alistair Overeem can beat Travis Browne: “Alistair Overeem needs to go in and fight like he did against Brock Lesnar. He needs to keep the fight standing, go forward, make him uncomfortable and engage in the standup. He needs to hope his experience will lead to the victory over Travis Browne, who has not fought the level of opposition that Alistair has.”
Florian on what Browne needs to do against Overeem: “Travis Brown can really pose a lot of problems for Alistair. He has excellent footwork. He can’t get caught staying in the pocket with a guy who hits as hard as Overeem. For Overeem, he needs to throw more volume. He can’t go in there just looking for one shot. Travis will be trained to move his feet and not stay in the pocket. Overeem needs to throw combinations and combinations.”
Cormier on why Roy Nelson is so dangerous: “Roy is the most dangerous guy I’ve ever fought. I’ve fought tough guys, Frank Mir and Josh Barnett. But they didn’t possess that one-punch knockout power. Roy gets his hands on you and he can knock it out. My preparation will be so thorough, and I’m not going to allow for him to have that opportunity in the fight. Come fight night, I’ll leave it in my preparation. He’s dangerous but I’m going to control where this fight goes.”
Cormier on moving down to 205: “I’m not going to discuss Jon Jones anymore. I’ve got a tough guy in front of me right now. I don’t want to fight Cain, but I have to get a little healthier, I’ve got kids now. A lot of fans have asked me to go down to 205. So now I’m going to put it on them to do it with me. I’ve got a website you can follow with me as I go down. It’s www.getfitwithdc.com and I can watch their progress as we do it together.”
Cormier on what Roy Nelson need to do with his hair on fight night: “Roy Nelson needs to take that thing, pull it back and put it in two ponytails, or put it in cornrows. I want him to look as if he ate Urijah Faber and his hair has Urijah’s little corn rows on fight night.”
UFC TONIGHT Insider Ariel Helwani on an upcoming fight between Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort: “I spoke to Dana White and he says he loves this fight at 185. He’d like Machida to go down to that weight. It’d be the co-main event of the 20th anniversary card, UFC 167: GSP vs. Hendricks. I spoke to Machida’s manager and he says he loves the fight at either 185 or 205. Their beef with Belfort goes back to UFC 152 when he wore a T-shirt that said: ‘Your son doesn’t run away from a fight.’ They took that as a knock and want to settle the score. They’d like to have the fight take place in Brazil and think it could fill up a soccer stadium.”