(L-R) Opponents Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar face off during the UFC 150 weigh in at Pepsi Center on August 10, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Josh Hedges for UFC.com)
Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA – The following quotes are from today’s UFC Weigh-in on FUEL TV, hosted by veteran combat sports journalist Karyn Bryant. Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir offered analysis. Two-time MMA Journalist of the Year Ariel Helwani conducted fighter interviews.
UFC Weigh-in Show on FUEL TV Analyst Frank Mir on fighting in Denver at high altitude: “It makes it extremely difficult. I don’t think it’s any secret that training and fighting in high altitude is very strenuous.”
Mir breaks down the first Henderson vs. Edgar fight: “Until the up-kick in the second round, I really saw a fight that was being controlled by Frankie Edgar. It was a Frankie Edgar fight. In and out, constant angles, he landed great combos and moved out of the way after the combos, and he had several take downs. I think it was three to be exact. As far as controlling the fight he did it from all angles. The up-kick really shook him, but if he is able to not let Benson land anything that is really powerful to turn the tide of the fight, he showed me that he does have excellent skill in movement and he was able to do what he wanted to do to impose power until that turn in the fight.”
Mir on what Henderson needs to do in the fight this time: “In the fight, once the up-kick happened in the second round, Benson really seemed to get more confidence. He really started pushing Frankie around and imposing who the bigger athlete is. He needs to turn it on earlier this time.”
Mir on how Benson can use his size to his advantage: “Obviously having the size advantage that he does, he is a big and powerful guy; he needs to really try to weigh down on Frankie. He needs to not allow him to use his footwork and his movement, but use his size to weigh him down and slow down his movement.”
Mir on why some think Edgar won the first fight between the two: “There are a lot of thoughts on that. Frankie had more quantity of time in charge of the fight. He had more strikes and more takedown attempts. He landed more strikes, but they weren’t as effective as the ones landed by Benson.”
Mir on if he expects Henderson to stay on his feet again: “I think it is not a bad idea. He is able to land more damaging shots. Even in the fight I saw a lot of combos being landed by Edgar, but then you wouldn’t see any telling signs on Benson’s face if those shots were doing anything. Then Benson would throw one or two shots that were hard and looked to affect Edgar. That was a really a telling part of the fight. I think Benson is an excellent grappler; he is extremely durable and is very hard to submit. He is very strong, very powerful, but I think he has to keep up a little bit of a curveball. You can’t keep the same game plan twice against Edgar because he is going to make some changes and make some improvements to his game plan, too.”
Mir on who benefits in a rematch situation: “I believe the advantage goes to the person who lost the first fight. At that point you have nothing to lose; you want to prove to everyone that the first fight wasn’t right. You are driven, you are going out there and you want to redeem yourself. There is a sense of vengeance. Whereas if you are the individual who won the fight the first time, then you have everything to lose. If you lose that fight, then it puts doubt in the first fight that maybe the other guy was making excuses or that maybe they were valid. So you know I always think with re-matches, coming in always benefits the loser.
Mir on if Edgar should go back to wrestling after his success in the first fight: “I think that Frankie is well rounded, which is really his weapon. He goes from striking with his hands, to shooting the takedown, to going for a takedown and then when you are trying to avoid the takedown, you are getting hit with two or three more punches. Then he is right back in on your legs. To focus in on one part of his game doesn’t do so good for someone like Frankie who is so good at using angles and combos. Really, again it is about his weight advantage or disadvantage, so going out there and looking for a big shot is not going to play well for him.”
Insider Ariel Helwani asks Benson Henderson if he thinks Frankie Edgar has an advantage or disadvantage because of his size: “I think that question wasn’t brought up a lot when he was beating BJ Penn twice or when he was knocking out Gray Maynard. Those questions weren’t really brought into play. But now after one loss, and I can admit it was a close loss, all of a sudden we are getting a lot of questions about his size. Is he too small? Which way does the advantage go for him? Who knows? Who is to say? Maybe it is good for him in some fights and in other fights it’s not so good for him.”
Henderson on if he feels questions about Edgar’s size are discrediting to him: “No, not exactly. I don’t want to say discrediting. I almost feel bad for him. I feel bad for Frankie. He was on top of the world and then one loss and everyone is saying he needs to drop down one weight class. They tell him you need to do this, you need to do that. I mean, it was one loss. Give the guy a break. You weren’t saying that when he was winning.”
Henderson on his preparation: “We prepared a lot. We got ready in Flagstaff, Arizona for the last two weeks. The elevation is 7,000 feet and we knew that, the elevation being 2,000 feet higher than Denver, we would be more than ready coming here. By the time I fight tomorrow, I would have had three and a half weeks at elevation and that is more than enough time to get your body acclimated.”
Henderson on if he studied the first fight: “No, not really. I don’t do too much studying. I will watch the fight twice. One time for fun, just to watch as a fan of the MMA and one time to watch and break down what I need to do better and see what holes I had. The guy who does all the watching is my head coach. He watches the fight 75 times in one week and he breaks it down and tells me ‘okay you need to do this and do that.’”
Henderson on how close he thinks this fight will be: “I don’t know. Who is to say? I am not sure. You are the professional analyst, you have to tell me if you think it is going to resemble the first fight or not. All I have to say is that I intend on having it end the same way, with my hand raised.”
Henderson on if it is hard to be fighting to defend the title this time: “I do like having the bull’s eye on my back. I like having the belt around my waist and the bull’s eye on my back. It makes me hungry, keeps me hungry and I’m excited. I like having those challenges.”
Edgar on if being the lightest in his weight class is an advantage: “It is nice man. I ate a meal last night. I had to lose two pounds, got a little workout in this morning and I feel great.”
Edgar on if Henderson’s past weight issues gives him an advantage: “I don’t know. Maybe he is the veteran at this point. He is a champ at this point. I want the best Ben.”
Edgar on if he studied the last fight: “I definitely watched a little. They forced me to watch it a little because I don’t like watching tape. But, they definitely watched it a lot and we applied it in practice.”
Edgar on what he needs to do to win: “You know all the adjustments that we have made and the stuff we saw on tape, I have to make sure that I execute them. Sometimes it is not about being your best, but whoever is the best fighter that night. I need to make sure that I am the best fighter on that night.”
Edgar on the biggest adjustment he made: “You know it is tough to really say. It is a bunch of little adjustments. I fought really good. It was just a matter of making a bunch of small changes. Sometimes it can just be about where you are placing your feet or where you are putting your hands. Just small things.”
Edgar on if it is difference going into a re-match after a loss: “It is really no different. It’s another fight, another camp I have to prepare for and another 25 minutes I have to prepare for.”
Mir’s prediction on Henderson vs. Edgar: “I just think how Edgar controlled the fight last time; he has skills to handle Henderson. So I give the edge to Edgar. He just has to close the door and watch out for an up-kick or something like that that can change the fight.”
UFC President Dana White on if Frankie Edgar will move to 145 after this fight: “I think he’d do it. I have so much respect for him. He could go to 145 and be a powerhouse. But I know he really wants to win this fight and get the title back. One of the quotes I saw from him is he said: ‘Losing that belt was like losing a limb to me.’ That’s pretty incredible.”
White on if Henderson is getting the credit he deserves: “He’s not getting the credit he deserves. He has to show everyone he’s the man.”
White on who will get the next shot at the 155 title. “Nate Diaz will fight the winner.”
White on Melvin Guillard not making weight: “He couldn’t cut the weight. He’s coming in off of back-to-back fights. He’s usually cocky as cocky could be. He doesn’t seem too confident this time around. We let him slide the two pounds. He’ll be fined 10 percent.”
White on if Guillard is a changed person: “No, I don’t want to believe that. Melvin is a very cocky and confident fighter. I respect that. As a fighter, you have to be that way.”
White on if Cerrone is concentrating on his fight with Guillard or talking about fighting Anthony Pettis too much before this fight: “He should be [concentrating on this fight] hopefully. It sounds like I’ve heard the big brother thing, how he’s had his way with Melvin in the gym in the past. But this is not in the gym. A fight in the octagon is completely different than sparring in gym and Guillard is dangerous.”
Mir on Donald Cerrone vs. Melvin Guillard: “Both are extremely effective strikers on their feet. Melvin is very explosive. He hits hard and is powerful. Cerrone is long and lanky, likes to kick and lands kicks from all angles. He really wears you down.”
Mir on Melvin Guillard not making weight: Obviously there was a fail somewhere – physically, mentally – and that could carry over to his fight. Cerrone’s camp should think something is wrong and can capitalize on it. If the other guy doesn’t make weight, is he hurt and can’t do the running? Is he freaking out mentally and dealing with something that he couldn’t make the weight?”
Mir on Cerrone’s strengths: “Donald Cerrone has some dangerous weapons. He does some damage with his kicks. If you put your hands down and fall asleep, he’ll send one to the head. He also has a great ground game and he can easily submit people.”
Mir on Guillard’s strengths: “His speed and power are his strengths. It’s really hard to get ahold of him. He also has great power. He lands punches with authority and he can really hurt you.”
Mir on if Cerrone has an advantage fighting in his home town: “Fighting in your hometown can really add pressure. You have to perform in front of your hometown, in front of people you know, your friends. But at the same time if you’re fighting at home, it’s nice to know where to eat, and you’re sleeping in your own bed. You don’t have any of those disadvantages. I think the advantages of fighting at home outweigh the drawbacks of being on the road.”
Cerrone on if something is wrong with Guillard because he didn’t make weight: “I don’t know. Whatever. I’m here to fight. Today with his cut, he just didn’t do something right. Cuts suck.”
Cerrone on what he said to Guillard after weighing in: “I just said, ‘let’s fight. Let’s make some money.’ He texted me earlier in the day that he wasn’t going to make the weight and I told him, ‘no problem’.”
Cerrone on how the fight will go with Guillard: “I think it’s going to be very similar to how it used to go in the gym. Don’t blink.”
Mir’s prediction on Cerrone vs. Guillard: “The way Donald is carrying himself and the way Melvin has been carrying himself at the weigh-in and all week, I’d say Cerrone has an advantage.”
Mir on his upcoming fight against Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier: “Daniel Cormier is a top-ranked fighter. He just won the Strikeforce tournament. He has a lot of attention on him. When UFC talks come up, he gets a lot of talk. For me, coming off a loss fighting for the title, fighting a guy who hasn’t lost, it’s great for me.”
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