UFC 72: Post-Fight Press Conference Notes
Posted by Mike Farrow on 06.16.2007
411mania has all the news from the Odyssey Arena's press conference this evening!
Facts and figures:
The show had a paid attendance of 7,850 for a take of $1.2m. This is a new Odyssey Arena record, beating the former record holder, Dolly Parton. This was also the first event in the Arena's history to be screened internationally.
Fight of the night: Clay Guida vs. Tyson Griffin.
KO of the night: Marcus Davis
Submission of the night: Ed Herman
What Dana said:
Dana was very nervous about this show, as he wanted to continue to break records. He didn't want to be the number 2 event in the arena behind Dolly Parton.
He praised the fans and the amount of noise they made, saying 7,000 made the noise of 70,000.
Replying to a question, he noted there would be more Irish fighters in future. In 2002, the talent pool was quite shallow and it would seem that UFC 38 was a catalyst for MMA in the UK. Now, the talent pool is so deep and it will keep improving.
There will likely be a rematch between Clay Guida and Tyson Griffin.
Rich Franklin is next in line for the Middleweight title.
Dan Henderson and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's light heavyweight title match WILL be title vs. title, winner takes both titles. When signing for the fight, Henderson made no mention of fighting at 185 and seems to feel more comfortable at 205. Dana said he wants Dan to stay at one weight or the other and would be reluctant to let Henderson switch between 185 and 205.
Dana also mentioned that PRIDE is "a mess" and it is still the plan to run the companies seperately. This will lead to the planned "Super Bowl of MMA". However, the issues, which Dana did not go into, need to be resolved.
Kurt Angle is a "nice guy" but cannot go straight into the octagon. He would be destroyed by a mixed martial artist. If he's serious about it and will train in MMA, then Dana will consider it but right now, it's not on the cards.
The next show in Ireland will likely be next year and the UFC are looking at Dublin.
In his opinion, Dustin Hazelett and Ed Herman did well.
Finally, when asked, Dana said he did not watch K-1 Dynamite USA show.
What Rich Franklin said:
Rich did not see the fight going as it did. He tried to be patient and stay out of the clinch but when he got into the clinch, he became comfortable. Possibly too comfortable, which led to him being taken down in the third. He later confirmed that Okami was awkward and it made it hard for him.
He did not feel overwhelmed by Okami's strength.
Of the Silva and Marquardt, he obviously wants to fight Silva, due to the history between them.
He did not feel in danger in Okami's third-round kimura attempt and actually felt the earlier choke was closer to getting submission.
What Yushin Okami said:
Yushin said that Rich Franklin is one of his favourite fighters and he learned a lot from the bout. He felt he gave a good performance and that Rich is probably the best fighter with whom he's ever been in the cage. He will try and take this experience and use it to make him a better fighter.
What Forrest Griffin said:
His post-match apologies was to people to whom he'd been rude. Forrest said the pressure of fame get to you and he felt he'd lost a little of himself for a while. He has bounced back from that and wants to apologize to those he offended when it was all getting a bit too much.
He felt he gave a good performance and Ramirez was tough.
He appreciated the football crowd atmosphere, calling it cool. It was not a distraction and if he got that sort of reaction, he'd jump at the chance to come back.
He said that the six month layoff was a double-edged sword. While it probably helped him in some ways, he feels he let himself go a little and it played with his head mentally. It was tough making weight for the fight and he's had some terrible luck with injuries and infections, notably the staph infection he had. However, he feels good to be back.
When there was discussion of a fight between Tito Ortiz and Forrest within the next year, Forrest said he wanted the fight. Dana confirmed that it was originally meant for this card but Tito wouldn't fight in Northern Ireland. The fight could be on the cards and it depends on the outcome of Tito's fight with Rashad Evans.
What Jason McDonald said:
He felt Rory Singer was disrespectful at the weigh-in and it backfired on him, as it lit a fire under "the Athlete".
He said his slow starting can be a problem but he felt much better coming out for the second than he did for the first.
He agreed with Okami that Rich Franklin was the best fighter he has ever faced and it was an excellent measuring stick to see just how far he has to improve to make the upper echelons. He feels he's one of the best around but Franklin and Silva are a class above.
What everybody else said:
Eddie Sanchez felt that his opponent, Colin Sullivan, was a tough fighter but he didn't feel hurt in that fight and that the armbar in the first round helped him regain top position. Colin Sullivan said he delivered on his promise of an exciting fight, ending via a knockout. Sullivan mentioned that he felt an adrenaline dump and, as a result, he was exhausted after just one round. He also appreciated the massive reaction for him and mentioned that the UFC was head and shoulders above anything they (he and Lynch) have ever done. Stevie Lynch said the crowd reaction was awesome.
Marcus Davis said that, although dangerous, he wanted the win to be by knockout and would not have taken a submission if it was there. His dream is to fight, not win titles and, as a result, he is living the dream. When some mention the nine-in-a-row as a fluke, he laughs it off, saying it is the luck of the Irish. Marcus also mentioned that he toured Northern Ireland for a few days leading up to the show, looking at historic landmarks and visiting new places.
Tyson Griffin was unsurprised by the reaction to his win, as if you win a split decision and finish the match on your back, the crowd are not going to understand this being a victory. Tyson felt he won the match. Likewise, Guida felt he won the match and said he entered a good performance
Quinton Jackson was also in attendance, being his usual shy and retiring self, suggesting Marcus Davis is copying his fighting style.
After the conference, I managed to speak to Jay Hieron about the Los Angeles Anacondas and he seems very positive about the team's chances to win the World Team Championship, speaking highly of his teammate Chris Horodecki.
I shall be back with a report of the live event tomorrow.
