LOS ANGELES, CA – The following quotes are from tonight’s UFC 156 POSTFIGHT SHOW ON FUEL TV for UFC 156: ALDO VS. EDGAR. The show was hosted by Jon Anik, with UFC light heavyweight number one contender Chael Sonnen and heavyweight Daniel Cormier offering analysis. Ariel Helwani conducted fighter interviews on-site.
UFC POSTFIGHT SHOW ON FUEL TV Analyst Chael Sonnen on Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar: “What surprised me about Frankie was that he was fast, but he didn’t have the advantage. Frankie threw punches and some landed, but some didn’t. Jose threw less punches, but they all landed. Jose slowed down in the fight, but he didn’t back down. His accuracy was amazing. Edgar is known for going down, but getting back up. He got hurt, but stood his ground. Jose stuffed most of the takedowns. It was like running into a brick wall. I tell you, I resisted it in the past, but Jose has won me over now. He’s spectacular. Yes, Frankie is resilient. It’s like calling Kate Upton mildly attractive.”
UFC POSTFIGHT SHOW ON FUEL TV Analyst Daniel Cormier on how Aldo beat Edgar: “What a champion does is control the fight. The thing I liked most was Jose’s jab. His superman jab at the end was great. Anthony Pettis has changed things in the UFC. The cage is now something to use in the fights. I think the key to the victory was Jose’s long, quick jabs. He was able to slow Frankie down with the leg kicks. The jab was in Frankie’s face all night. Frankie was the little engine that could, and he kept going. Jose did slow down, but he didn’t stray from the game plan. He stopped throwing the leg kicks because Frankie was catching them and taking him down.”
Sonnen on what Aldo does next: “Dana White called Jose the number-two pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC behind Anderson Silva. Maybe he moves up in weight and takes on Benson Henderson at lightweight.”
Ariel Helwani asks Jose Aldo on beating Frankie Edgar: “As a former champion, of course, he was a very tough opponent. I’ve also had very tough fights in the past. I can’t rate him as my toughest opponent, but he was a tough opponent. I thought he was a bit slower and I didn’t feel he had punch power or could take me down. I believe he felt the drop in the weight.”
Aldo on if he’ll move up to 155: “One day I will go to 155, but that decision is up to me, my coaches and my team.”
Aldo on if he’ll fight Korean Zombie next: “If it was up to me, he would make a great opponent. Whoever comes my way, I will have great respect and a great fight. I like to fight against the best fighters. I train hard. I’m a professional fighter. So whoever comes, I have the most respect and it will be a great fight.”
UFC President Dana White if Frankie Edgar did enough for a rematch against Aldo: “The guy is so tough. But I don’t think this grants him an automatic rematch.”
White breaking news from the press conference about who Aldo would fight next: “Anthony Pettis just texted me and said he wants to move down to 145 and go against Jose Aldo.”
Sonnen on Rashad Evans vs. Rogerio Nogueira: “How come no one told these guys there was a fight tonight? There was a lot of standing around. I was confused on the strategy by Rashad Evans. He usually mixes it up well and runs those take downs. He stood in front of him and they kind of padded each other. Nogueira did the same thing. This one was very hard to call. I spent most the night yelling at the TV begging for action. Little Nog didn’t do a whole lot, although he did enough to get the decision in the end.”
DC on how Nogueira beat Evans: “We know that Nog is a great fighter. We know he is the better boxer. He’s a southpaw. He made sure his foot was always on the south side of Rashad in order to pop off that quick jab. Rashad was content to box a boxer. He’s going to have to go back, make some adjustments, make some changes and get back in the fight.”
Sonnen on Evans losing: “All fighters have bad nights. We have just never seen one from Rashad. We’ve never seen him go out and just not perform. His worst performance was against Forrest Griffin and he won a title. He really had a bad night.”
White on if Evans is still in the hunt for a fight against Anderson Silva: “Rashad didn’t do anything tonight. He looked terrible. I’ve never seen Rashad look as bad.”
White if Chris Weidman will fight Anderson Silva next: “I’d say Weidman is next. It’s a process dealing with Anderson. I know how this works. It’s probably Weidman.”
Cormier on Antonio Silva vs. Alistair Overeem: “They say you don’t wake a sleeping giant. That’s what Overeem did. Alistair looked winded in the third and Bigfoot got him.”
Sonnen on Silva: “Bigfoot was thinking – I could do better in this fight. Then he realized he could win it. Bigfoot has only lost two fights in the last several years. He got beat by Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez, two of the best in the division.”
Sonnen on who Overeem should fight next: “I’d like to see him fight Junior Dos Santos. It was a fight that was supposed to happen and both just got beat. JDS versus Alistair Overeem – make it happen, Dana.”
Silva on if he wanted to get respect from Overeem: “He didn’t respect me for a long time – in a lot of interviews. He talked a lot of [beep] about me. In the press conference I said to him, ‘hey I make you respect me.’”
Silva on how he turned around the fight: “I waited for the second and third round. I know he doesn’t have a lot of cardio or have a good heart. I know he won the first round. He used the ground and pound in the second and I said, ‘let’s go, push me harder.’ I know he was going to tire in the third round.”
Sonnen on Maia’s victory: “Nobody’s beaten Fitch straight up except GSP. Maia wouldn’t give him any room to breathe. Maia found something that worked and knew Fitch couldn’t find an answer for what he was doing.”
Cormier on Joseph Benavidez beating Ian McCall: “This was a great step in the right direction for Benavidez. Joe controlled the pace of the fight. He fought southpaw and was able to get in there. Combination punches, mixed it up with kicks. He’s back as the number-one contender.”
Helwani asks Joseph Benavidez if he wants the title fight next: “You always want a title shot. That’s your goal. Of course, if it’s there, I’m going to work hard and take it. These title shots don’t come often. I just had it. I want to grow and to be as good a fighter as I can be when I get the chance at that title fight.”
Cormier answers Jon Jones who told him to move down stop talking about it: “Jon Jones, you’re firing me up. I’m coming to find him. Where I’m from, you don’t tell man to shut up. That’s one thing you don’t do. Jon Jones, you and I will get it done.”
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