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FLORIAN ON JONES’ VICTORY OVER CORMIER: “HE SOLIDIFIED HIMSELF AS THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME.”

By Mike Johnson on 7/30/2017 9:06 AM

FLORIAN ON JONES’ VICTORY OVER CORMIER: “HE SOLIDIFIED HIMSELF AS THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME.”

                                                                              

Bisping on Woodley Defeating Maia: “It was a technical fight. Woodley had to have a cerebral approach to this fight. He was fighting a specialist. He successfully defended 21 takedowns.”

 

Los Angeles – The following quotes and videos are from tonight’s FS1 UFC 214 POSTFIGHT SHOW on FS1 hosted by Karyn Bryant, with Michael Bisping andKenny Florian providing analysis. Megan Olivi conducted interviews.

                                                                             

FOX UFC analyst Kenny Florian on Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones: “I had Daniel Cormier up two rounds, but if you keep a pattern, a good fighter will figure out the pattern. Cormier wasn’t moving his head much. Jon Jones was able to adjust and went upstairs with that kick and got Cormier.”

 

FOX UFC analyst Michael Bisping on Jones comeback victory: “It was a very impressive win by Jon Jones. It looked like DC was going to cruise to a victory and then boom. DC was bullying him around the Octagon. DC was stalking him down. He was winning the fight. Up until that point, I didn’t think it wasn’t a particularly impressive performance by Jones.”

 

Florian on Jones’ performance and Cormier’s mistake: “You’ve got to call Jones a winner. He’s one of the smartest fighters I’ve ever seen. He got the win and stoppage. DC was landing on Jones all night. But DC’s hands were down, he was leaning forward and he was susceptible to that high kick. Maybe Jones was baiting him in and maybe waiting for him to tire out. Cormier did a better job blocking the kicks this fight than he did last time. But he didn’t move his head and he wasn’t feinting his way in. And he got predictable. I saw Jones adapt to a vastly improved Cormier. He’s the only person to ever beat Cormier. He solidified himself as the greatest of all time.”

 

Bisping on Jones: “Jones is now the first man to stop DC. He can be so impressive and he’s scary. It was an amazing finish. I was a little frustrated by Jones in the fight. He wasn’t using the jab as a fundamental way to keep DC from coming in on him. He wasn’t playing to his strengths. For a shorter guy like Cormier, to be landing his hooks, says something. He wasn’t feinting in, but he was winning.”

                                                                                          

Florian on if he’d like to see Jones fight Brock Lesnar next: “The titles aren’t always the biggest fight you can get. That’s the fight you want to go for. Looking at what he’s done so far, that’s a fight I’d like to see him.” 

 

Bisping on Jones vs. Lesnar: “It’s a freak show. Of course you want to see it.”

 

Florian on what’s next for Cormier: “It would not be a bad decision if he wanted retirement. He really wanted to beat Jon Jones. He went in to MMA a little late. There’s no doubt he won’t be a Hall of Famer and he deserves retirement if he wants.”

 

Bisping on Cormier’s next move: “There’s no way he’s going to walk away after that finish. He doesn’t want that to be the lasting memory.”

 

Bisping on who he’d like Jones to fight next: “I want to see the return of Anthony Johnson. I’d like that for Jones.”

 

VIDEO: Highlights:  Cormier vs. Jones

 

Jon Jones on getting the finish: “My goal was to finish the fight before the championship rounds. I expect more out of myself at this stage of my career.”    

                                                       

Jones on if he felt pressure going into the fight: “Honestly, no pressure. My faith has grown. I’m 30 years old now. I’m at a different level in my career now.”

 

Jones on the third round: “Cormier connected punches on me a lot. He did really good. I felt like I had round one, but two and three were competitive. I thought he did great. It’s great to beat him at his best.”

                     

Jones on if he planned to finish Cormier with a head kick: “I watched the AJ fight and my first fight with him. He came close to getting dropped by the high kick. We were patient and waiting and the opportunity came and we took it.”

 

Jones on wanting to fight Brock Lesnar: “I’m up for it. It’s about time for me to be in a super fight. Fans want me to challenge myself and get to heavyweight and challenge the biggest and scariest guy in the Octagon. There’s a lot of fresh blood in the light heavyweight division. We’d like to rule the division. But I feel like I don’t have much to prove. But I’d like to challenge myself and get paid. I haven’t worked much.”

 

Jones on closing his chapter with Cormier: “This fight represents so much - my journey and staying faithful through my mistakes. I've been a dumbass. But I stayed faithful and didn’t give up. To close this chapter with him is great. I beat him the first time, off of steroids, and now the second time, off of steroids. The chapter is closed.” 

                                                                                                     

VIDEO: Interview: Jon Jones

Florian on Tyron Woodley vs. Demian Maia: “Woodley didn’t want to take a chance today. He got it done against a guy not very many people have figured out. He also beat Wonderboy, another specialist, twice. He had to be patient in the fight, he had to be careful and it was a very technical fight. Woodley had a much deeper arsenal than Maia, but we didn’t see it tonight.”

                                                                                     

Bisping on how Woodley defeated Maia: “It was a technical fight. Woodley had to have a cerebral approach to this fight. He was fighting a specialist. He successfully defended 21 takedowns. He defended all of them. He won the fight. Was it the best, no? But he did the job and walked out of the Octagon the champion. He beat a guy who was very skilled in one area. Would I have liked to see him take more chances, gone for the finish and take calculated risks? Yes.”

 

Tyron Woodley on if he hurt his hand in the fight: “No, my shoulder slipped out a little in the second round on an overhand right. I had to keep it tight after that. I couldn’t smoke him with overhand rights like I wanted to. But I’m an athlete and you just have to deal with it. He took 20 shots trying to take me down and didn’t once, and he’s won seven in a row and he’s submitted more than half of them. We’re satisfied with the victory.”

 

Woodley on winning the fight: “In the end, it’s about winning and fighting the right fight. Every time I threw an overhand right, he tried to take me down. I had to throw straight shots and even had to eat a couple from him.”  

 

VIDEO: Interview: Woodley on his win

 

VIDEO: Highlights: Tyron Woodley vs. Demian Maia

 

VIDEO: Cris Cyborg on her win over Tonya Evinger, becoming featherweight champion

  

Dana White on Jones defeat of Cormier: “What Jones just accomplished is next to impossible. After such a long layoff and the way Cormier was coming after him. I had it one round each going into the third.”

 

White on Jones vs. Lesnar: “It’s interesting. Brock said he’d like to fight him and Jones said he would like to fight him. I haven’t talked to Brock recently, plus there’s USADA. I think he’d need six months once he’s back from suspension before he could fight again.”

 

White on the Woodley vs. Maia bout: “There’s not much to be pleased about with that fight or to talk about. They broke a record for throwing the least amount of punches.”

 

White on Cyborg vs. Evinger: “Tonya is tough as nails. She went out to try and win. I respect it.”

                

White on Lawler vs. Cerrone: “Lawler came right out and tried to finish Cowboy. And Cowboy stuck in there and made it a fight. The only thing that sucked was it was only three rounds.”

 

VIDEO: Dana White Interview

 

VIDEO: Bisping addresses the possibility of a GSP/Woodley fight vs. him fighting GSP.

VIDEO: Highlights: Robbie Lawler vs. Donald Cerrone

 

VIDEO: Ricardo Lamas brutally finishes Jason Knight | UFC 214 HIGHLIGHTS

 

VIDEO: Brian Ortega stays undefeated with beautiful guillotine vs. Renato Moicano

Follow the talent on Twitter at: @KarynBryant @Bisping @KennyFlorian @MeganOlivi @FS1 @UFConFOX