The following quotes and videos are from tonight’s UFC 182 POST-FIGHT SHOW on FOX SPORTS 1. The show was hosted by Jon Anik, with former UFC champion Dominick Cruz and Brian Stann providing analysis. Ariel Helwaniconducted interviews on-site.
UFC ON FOX analyst Brian Stann on Jon Jones: “I really believe Jon Jones is greatest fighter in UFC history. The competition he faces and the way he wins fights prove it.”
UFC ON FOX analyst Dominick Cruz on Jones vs. Cormier: “It was an awesome fight. I knew Cormier had about three rounds of spring, and then Jones would get payback. Jones would have to weather those early rounds and he did his job. He owns the championship rounds. Jones’ length is the number-one problem. When you beat someone with that Olympic wrestling background, it really accomplishes something.”
Stann on how Jones changed his plan during the fight: “In the early rounds, Cormier got Jones in the clinch and he started to land some shots. By round four, Jones had a dominant round, landed takedowns, dominated the clinch. We saw Jones had to call an audible and change things up. His game plan going into the fight was to use the distance, but he won the fight in the clinch. He really slowed down the fight and took the championship rounds. I don’t think anyone expected him to do that.”
Jon Jones on what he expected in the fight with Daniel Cormier: “Leading up to this fight, I knew it’d be an Ali – Frazier fight. I knew I could beat him in the cardio department. I accepted him expending his energy. In the championship rounds he started to break.”
Jones on breaking Cormier: “I’ve been blessed to have a good chin. He wasn’t hurting me with his shots. I was letting him land punches. He’s known to break when you don’t submit to his alpha, he slows down. He says he’s the king of the grind, but he’s not. I knew when the cardio was a factor, he’d look for a way out. This wasn’t the toughest fight of my career. Alexander Gustafsson was the toughest of my career.”
Jones on changing the pace of the fight: “It was an audible. I watched him so many times, in my subconscious, his skillset becomes comfortable. I started to Cormier Cormier. He held Frank Mir against the cage. He’s my dear friend. I did that to Cormier. I out-grinded him. I wanted to prove to him he wasn’t the king of the grind.”
Jones on what he thinks of Cormier after the fight: “I don’t like Daniel Cormier. I don’t respect Daniel Cormier. I hope he’s somewhere crying right now. I’m sure he is. I can’t wait until he earns his way back to the title, so I can whop him again.”
Jones on who he wants to fight next: “I don’t care which one I fight. To beat Anthony Johnson would be great. He’s somebody I haven’t fought. I’ve believe I’ve beaten Gustafsson already.”
Daniel Cormier on the fight with Jones: “I’m just disappointed. I worked so hard to try to accomplish the goal and it didn’t happen. I could have fought better. My coach told me. Jones was better today. He beat me. He won the fight. He’s obviously the champion for a reason and he showed that tonight. If anything surprised me, he felt a little big in the clinch. I took the fourth round off. You get tired in a five-round fight, with the pace. For the first time in my career, I was absorbing some damage. He landed a knee or something in the first round that got my rib real good. He landed a punch to my rib, and I could feel it take the energy out of my body each time.”
Cruz on what Donald Cerrone did to defeat Myles Jury: “You were throwing the left kick to the body. You ate up his legs pretty good because he was moving so much. You made the adjustments. Not everyone is going to come find you in the center. This is a win for you. You controlled the first round. He’s not easy to control, find and hit. You did that. You chopped his legs so he couldn’t keep circling. You did your job.”
Donald Cerrone on being disappointed by his performance: “That was not a fight. I was disappointed the entire time. To me, that wasn’t a victory. I didn’t feel like that was a victory tonight.”
Cerrone on who he wants to fight next: “We have a Denver card coming up soon. Let’s get Cowboy on it! I don’t care who I fight. There’s got to be a lightweight who wants to fight Cowboy.”
UFC President Dana White on Jones victory: “If anyone still doubts and denies how good Jon Jones is, they’re crazy. He has so many weapons. How about the body shots he was throwing today? He’s still young. Jon Jones is on his way. He just beat an Olympian. Now, on to the winner of Rumble vs. Alexander Gustafsson.”
White on how many times he’s like Jones to fight this year: “I’d like to see him fight three times this year, but we’ll see.”
White on what he thought about the Cerrone fight: “I thought Cerrone looked great in that fight. Jury has a style, he’s always moving. I think Jury, who’s really talented, got into the jiu-jitsu in the first round and it rattled him.”
White on Cerrone fighting in Denver: “That’s my guy. Anything is possible with him.”
White on Khabib Nurmagomedov being upset not getting the next lightweight title shot: “What’s he mad about? He’s injured. When he’s ready, the title will be there for him.”