Top UFC Fighters Turned Down July 19 Fight With Brandon Vera?
Posted by Dustin James on 07.14.2008
According to Vera, nobody wanted the fight........
Brandon Vera recently sat down with The Baltimore Sun and explained what exactly happened that ultimately led the UFC to book Vera vs. Reese Andy for UFC Fight Night 14 on July 19:
"They offered me Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Lyoto Machida and then Reese Andy."
Vera then goes on to mention that Henderson, Silva, and Sokoudjou all turned the fight down, however it was Vera who turned down the fight with Machida:
"For sure, I turned down the fight with Machida. Don't get me wrong. I'm down to fight Machida but not in my first time cutting down to 205 on four weeks' notice. I want to be ready for Machida. That bastard's good. I want to make sure I've got good sparring and a good game plan for Machida.
Machida's not somebody you can just jump in the cage with and fight. I don't care who you are; if you think you can just beat Machida because you're tougher than him, he's probably going to whoop your ass. ... He doesn't go in to destroy people and finish them. Man, you can't hit him, and he just keeps touching you. People just get frustrated and pissed off. So, I did turn down the fight with Machida, but I'm down for sure to fight Machida, given good time."
For some reason I can't see any of them turning down a fight with this scrub.
Posted By: Rob (Guest) on July 14, 2008 at 11:33 PM
"For some reason I can't see any of them turning down a fight with this scrub.
Posted By: Rob (Guest) on July 14, 2008 at 11:33 PM"
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Why not? Vera has proven he's no "scrub," and Hendo should be scared of another loss in the UFC... Silva probably feels that Vera would be a step down for him, and I could easily see Sokoudjou running scared of him for now.
Posted By: cyks (Guest) on July 15, 2008 at 01:03 AM
Vera doesn't make any sense.
"Brandon Vera: They offered me Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Lyoto Machida and then Reese Andy. The other fighters turned down the other fights so that’s how we came to Reese."
He said they turned down other fights....I thought they were the one's that turned down the fight with Silva
.
Posted By: Guest#8189 (Guest) on July 15, 2008 at 01:07 AM
Vera then goes on to mention that Henderson, Silva, and Sokoudjou all turned the fight down, however it was Vera who turned down the fight with Machida. It makes perfect sense if read right !!!
Posted By: Guest#9536 (Guest) on July 15, 2008 at 06:58 AM
He is right about Machida... He just touches you, runs away, gets the decission... Smart? Maybe. But sure boring. The most exciting thing of his decission victory over Tito was Tito's submissions at the end of the last round
Posted By: Diego (Guest) on July 15, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Vera then goes on to mention that Henderson, Silva, and Sokoudjou all turned the fight down, however it was Vera who turned down the fight with Machida. It makes perfect sense if read right !!!
Then why did he say they turned down other fights...that kinda implies they turned down other fights against someone else.
Posted By: Guest#5780 (Guest) on July 15, 2008 at 11:12 AM
There is a reason why Machida has beaten Rich Franklin, Sokoudjou, Tito Ortiz but is still nowhere on anybody's radar. Because the guy is not exciting, and many view his style as somewhat pussy fighting. If Tito would have won, he would be in line for a title shot but not Machida.
Posted By: Thomas (Guest) on July 15, 2008 at 03:38 PM
