The following quotes are from FOX Sports 1’s UFC 173 POSTFIGHT SHOW from Las Vegas. Hosted by Jay Glazer, tonight’s post-fight show also featured analysts Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen, along with reporter Ariel Helwani.
The night was highlighted by bantamweight challenger T.J. Dillashaw’s triumphant upset in the main event over title-holder Renan Barao, who entered with a 33-fight unbeaten streak and had not suffered a loss since 2005.
UFC 173 POSTFIGHT SHOW ON FOX SPORTS 1 Analyst Rashad Evans recalling his prediction that Dillashaw would pull off the upset over Barao: “I had goosebumps watching that performance. I believed he would win, but I had no idea how dominant he would look. Honestly, he looked like he was the champ and he was giving out technique lessons, and that’s what it was. He just completely schooled him and I’m impressed.”
UFC 173 POSTFIGHT SHOW ON FOX SPORTS 1 Analyst Chael Sonnen on Dillashaw’s ability to seize the moment and defeat Barao:“T.J. Dillashaw wasn’t even the guy for this job. Raphael Assunção got hurt and T.J. Dillashaw stepped in. He proved that it doesn’t matter what happened in the past, all that matters is the five rounds that you’re up against right now. He won every position and every minute that he could, and it was enough to get the job done.”
UFC ON FOX ANALYST Joe Rogan on Dillashaw’s victory: “It was the most stunning performance I’ve ever seen in all my years of being a fight fan. In more than a decade of working for the UFC, that was the finest performance I’ve ever seen. This was a fight where a kid came into it with very few people thinking that he was going to be able to beat a guy who is one of the pound-for-pound best, and he put on a show, a magnificent performance.”
Ariel Helwani on the scene in Dillashaw’s locker room following the victory: “It’s a party back there. None of us are invited to it, but all of these little guys are having the time of their lives. What’s really great about it is, Urijah [Faber] doesn’t have a UFC belt, Joseph Benavidez, Chad Mendes, they all faltered on this stage. And perhaps the most unheralded fighter of the Team Alpha Male bunch, he gets it on his first crack and they couldn’t be happier for him, it’s a beautiful thing. Duane Ludwig was off to the side and was very emotional with tears in his eyes, this was his last night as the head coach of the team, and it’s a really great scene.”
Dillashaw on his high self-confidence entering tonight’s fight: “I told you guys I was going to take it. I had to believe in myself, I knew I was going to win. I told you it was my destiny and I had to prove it, I had to prove everyone wrong.”
Dillashaw on if he thought he would win in such a dominant fashion:“No absolutely not. I knew I had a tough match ahead of me, I knew it was going to take everything I possibly had. I don’t know, everything just went perfectly and was just smooth.”
Dillashaw on when he knew the fight was his to win: “I don’t know when it was, but I felt like the first round went very smoothly and I knew I had to do the same thing in the second round. After the second round was over, I knew the fight was mine. I knew I was in his face and I could tell in his eyes that I had him beat, he just wasn’t the same. He wasn’t as aggressive and he just looked beat to me. He was just worried and you could see it in his eyes; I just brought more than he thought I was going to. He thought that my striking wasn’t as good as it is, and I just proved him wrong and surprised him.”
Light heavyweight contender and co-main event winner Daniel Cormier on the fans booing his strategy and whether he considered standing up with Dan Henderson: “It won’t happen; I’ve got to fight my strategy and I’ve got to fight the way I’ve trained to fight. If I go out and fight and give Dan Henderson a chance, it could ruin what I’m trying to work towards.”
Cormier on being one of the most improved fighters in the UFC and what he is the most proud of in his development: “I’m very proud of my wrestling, but I’ve spent a lifetime trying to develop that. The one thing that I’ve improved the most is the jiu-jitsu. I’ve got a great coach in Leandro Vieira. He works with me all the time individually, I’ve got great training partners and that’s why I am improving. I heard people booing because I was controlling him from the top, but I knew eventually a submission or something would present itself and I just waited for it.”
Cormier on his pace being a challenge for his opponents: “I try to go hard and I try to push the guys. When you see a guy put his hands on his knees before the third round, you actually know you’ve got him. I scream at my coaches every day because they try to switch partners. I’m like, ‘Guys, this is what I work for: I work for the third round when the guy is so exhausted I can just beat him up.’ There’s nobody to switch out with a guy in the octagon, so I try to just go as hard as I can to make guys work and make them uncomfortable and it happened tonight.
On why he deserves to fight UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones: “Listen, I have not lost a fight, I have not lost a round. I am 15-0, Jon Jones is undefeated, why not put two undefeated guys in the cage and see who the best is? Don’t run from me little guy, I’m ready. The more you wait Jon Jones, the worse it’s going to get because I am going to continue to get better. You should have got me a year ago because now, I’m not sure you have any chance at all actually.”
Cormier on his confidence that he can beat Jones: “I believe I can beat him with every fiber of my being.”
UFC President Dana White on Dillashaw’s impressive victory over Barao: “I’m not shocked. Leading up to this fight, I told everybody who talked to me, if you look at the stats and you look at the numbers, TJ. Dillashaw is No. 1 in the UFC and WC for most significant strikes per minute and he is No. 2 on the ground. And I said, ‘Whoever’s chin will hold up tomorrow is who is going to win the fight.’ Both of their chins held up, but Dillashaw put on an unbelievable performance tonight.”
White on whether Barao’s run of dominance prior to tonight will warrant an immediate rematch with Dillashaw: “I don’t know. Let’s see what happens, Assunção is out there too, so we’ll see what happens, I don’t know.”