On UFC TONIGHT, hosts Kenny Florian and Daniel Cormier preview UFC FIGHT NIGHT: SHOGUN vs. SAINT PREUX and interview Ovince Saint Preux andIan McCall before their Saturday night fights. Plus, Helwani and Bryant add reports.
UFC TONIGHT Host Daniel Cormier on how Shogun Rua will look vs. Ovince Saint Preux: “I believe we’ll see a good Shogun Rua. He’s going to look like he did in the Dan Henderson fight. He looked pretty good in that one, and before that, he put a beating on James Te Huna. He has the ability to show his experience against a guy like OSP.”
UFC TONIGHT Host Florian on Shogun’s last fight: “He was landing his shots, doing everything he needed to do. But he lost his focus, got tired, and got hit with Dan Henderson’s right hand. He’s fighting smarter than he has in the past.”
Cormier on Saint Preux getting moved to the main event: “OSP is being thrust into a bigger fight against Shogun than he had. That doesn’t happen to guys who lost their last fight. He has a real big opportunity. His athleticism will carry him. The big gap between him and Shogun is his athleticism.”
Florian on Saint Preux: “There’s a lot of room for him to improve. He needs to take that last lost against Bader and make improvements. This is the type of fight that will take you up a level.
Ovince Saint Preux on getting his fight changed to Shogun Rua: “I thought it was a good matchup for me.”
Saint Preux on what’s different about fighting Shogun: “They fight similar. Both come forward. But Shogun has been in the game so long, he’s lost a step. I’ll be able to capitalize on it.”
Saint Preux on if this is a bigger fight than the last one: “Every fight is bigger than the last one. This is a redemption fight for me.”
Saint Preux on how he’s getting treated in Brazil: “Everyone is cool. I know when get to the stadium it’ll be a little different. I don’t understand Portuguese, so for all I know they’ll be cheering for me.”
Saint Preux on what he changed after losing to Ryan Bader: “When you go on those win streaks, you get complacent. I wasn’t drilling as much as I needed to before the Bader fight. My trainers were getting on me to get in the gym. This time, I was constantly drilling. I went down to spar some guys, and my timing’s on point, my wrestling is looking good and my jiu-jitsu is looking good too.”
Cormier on Ian McCall vs. John Lineker: “John Lineker needs to press him and go forward. But it all starts at the scale. In his last fight he managed his weight and he fought the best we’ve ever seen. He can’t allow McCall to use footwork and speed, and he needs to cut off the angles and find McCall’s body with big punches.”
Cormier on McCall: “He can wrestle, he can strike, he’s fast and he has the confidence. He needs to use his wrestling, use his speed, drag Lineker down and wear him down. He needs to move and move like he’s never moved before.”
Ian McCall on how he’ll beat Lineker: “It comes down to movement. He’s going to sit in the pocket and wait. I have to make him swing, miss and make him pay for it. I have to put him on his back and punch him.”
McCall on how he’s improved: “I’m just as fast or faster than anyone else in the division. I got past my tough-guy slugfest thing.”
McCall on if he wants to challenge for the title: “A title is the main reason we’re here. You want to become a champ, get the champ’s money. You want to create a legacy for yourself.”
UFC TONIGHT Insider Ariel Helwani on who will fight Alexander Gustafsson next:“Rashad Evans said he just doesn’t feel ready. The leg doesn’t feel stable. He doesn’t have the explosiveness he needs for fighting Gustafsson. His manager said he shouldn’t rush and wants to wait until March. Gustafsson wants to fight in January or February. We should know soon who he’ll be fighting.”
Helwani on when Dan Henderson will return: “He wants to fight in January. He’d like to fight close to home in California, and he’d probably fight at 185.”
Cormier on who Dan Henderson should fight next: “I’d match up Dan Henderson and Gegard Mousasi. It’s amazing they never crossed paths in Strikeforce.”
Helwani on why Rousey vs. Zingano got pushed back: “Cat Zingano has been dealing with a back issue. She wouldn’t be ready to fight in January and needed more time to recover.”
Helwani on Jimi Manuwa’s injury: “He suffered a stress fracture in his foot and he needs to stay off it for the next six weeks. He hopes to come back in January.”