On UFC TONIGHT, hosts Kenny Florian and Chael Sonnen interview middleweight Luke Rockhold and lightweight Ross Pearson. They are also joined by Dr. Robert Klapper, who discusses recent injuries. Plus, Ariel Helwani and Karyn Bryant add reports.
UFC TONIGHT’s Chael Sonnen on the Nevada State Athletic Commission hearing yesterday: “I’m retired. But there is a protocol that they have to go through, and they will have a hearing that I’ll show up for. I won’t defend myself, but I will have a conversation on the topic and on the record and we’ll do that in about a month.”
Sonnen responds to Ariel Helwani’s question if he’s going to come back out of retirement: “I don’t think so. I hope not. I’m most definitely retired. As fighters, we tend to stay in the sport a little too long. It’s fun, it’s seductive and it’s all we know, but I’m done.”
Carlos Condit on his recovery from ACL surgery: “Everything is going well so far. It’s a long, slow process. It’s six months from surgery until I can start doing light stuff in the MMA gym. I’m making progress. I want to get that rematch with Tyron Woodley and I want the rematch with Johny Hendricks. I want to be in the title picture and get that belt around my waist.”
Luke Rockhold on who he wants to fight next: “I don’t want to wait that long. I want Vitor. I thought me and Jacare had a close fight, but he’s ranked above me now so I want to rectify that situation. There aren’t that many fights for me right now. How long is Vitor going to be out, that’s the question for me?”
Rockhold on if he’d fight for the title next: “I’m not going to turn down the title shot. If they’re going to give me a title fight, I’ll take it. I want to earn my spot and be the best. I don’t want to be a paper champion. I want to be the best in the world. I feel like I can beat anyone out there. I want to fight soon. September would be ideal, but I could fight in August too.”
Rockhold on what the words Michael Bisping means to him: “It means easy money. He had a chance to apologize. He wasn’t man enough to do that and that’s when I lost respect for him.”
Ross Pearson on what he was thinking when he heard the scores: “I was convinced I won that fight pretty easily and it was going to the judges’ decision with Bruce Buffer calling the victory for me. When they called it out, I felt like I was hit by Brazil all over again.”
Pearson on if getting the win bonus takes the sting off losing: “Without a doubt, it takes a little bit of the blow out. Plus, getting all the support from all the fans. The loss is still on my record. It hurts. I went into that fight to finish Diego and there’s still room to improvement, room to get better, there’s still a lot more of Ross Pearson to come.”
Pearson on if he’s upset with the loss on his record: “I’m more concerned about how the UFC, Dana White and Joe Silva saw it. If they were happy and want me to move up, I’m ready for that challenge.”
Insider Ariel Helwani on who Josh Barnett wants to fight next: “I talked to his manager and he wants to fight Junior dos Santos next. He wants to get back in the title picture and he has to go through him.”
Insider Ariel Helwani on Daniel Cormier getting surgery on his knee: “Daniel Cormier will have surgery in early July. On morning of UFC 175, he’ll be competing in a final amateur wrestling match at the UFC Fan Expo. After that match, he’ll go under the knife and will be ready for the winner of Jones vs. Gustafsson.”
Helwani on Miesha Tate’s next fight: “There’s a big show in Japan on September 20 and the main event is Roy Nelson vs. Mark Hunt. I’m hearing that Miesha Tate could fight Rin Nakai, who is about to be signed to the UFC. She’s one of the rising prospects from Japan and is 16-0-1.”