UFC 191 Media conference call transcript

UFC 191 poster

ZUFFA, LLC - LAS VEGAS

Moderator: Chris Costello

August 27, 2015

4:00 pm CT

Operator: Good day and welcome to the UFC 191 conference call. Today’s conference is being recorded. At this time I would like to turn the conference over to Mr. Chris Costello. Please go ahead sir.

 

Chris Costello: Thanks. I want to welcome everybody to the UFC 191 media conference call. UFC 191 takes place Saturday, September 5 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The event airs live on Pay-Per-View.

 

On today’s call please welcome the main and co-main event stars of UFC 191, UFC flyweight champion, the number three pound-for-pound fighter in the world Demetrious Johnson, number one contender John Dodson, and former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and Frank Mir. With that, we will go ahead and open up the questions.

 

Operator: If you would like to ask a question please signal by pressing Star 1 on your telephone keypad. If you are using a speakerphone please make sure that your mute function is turned off to allow your signal to reach our equipment. Once again press Star 1 for questions. And we’ll pause for just a moment to allow everyone an opportunity to signal. And as a reminder that is Star 1 for questions. We’ll take our first question from Damon Martin with Fox Sports.

 

Damon Martin: Yes, I’d like to start off with Andrei. Andrei this is a fight that is basically a decade in the making. You and Frank were supposed to fight back in 2004-2005 and then he had his motorcycle accident. But I wanted to ask, I mean, what do you remember about Frank Mir from those days and wanting to fight him back then?

 

Andrei Arlovski: At that time and I still have a lot of respect for Frank and at that time he was just dangerous on the ground because he is a black belt; now he wants to fight and he fights very dangerous standing, so I have to keep in mind also he is not only black belt and also has the power to knock people out. So I have to be ready for this as well.

 

Damon Martin: Is there some sense of closure having this fight, Andrei, considering that you never got the chance? I mean, at that time you two were the top heavyweights in the UFC. I mean, is there some sense of closure of finally getting to have this fight?

 

Andrei Arlovski: Can you state your question please because it is breaking up a little bit.

 

Damon Martin: Sure. Is there some sense of closure to finally get to fight Frank after ten years ago you were supposed to fight when you guys were both the best heavyweights in the UFC. Is there a sense of closure finally having this fight?

 

Andrei Arlovski: First of all it is going to be an honor to fight Frank because I am extremely happy for him. Frank and I, we’re like old school fighters. He is climbing back on the top right now, I’m number four, and I’m very excited for that fight and I’m sure the fans are too. When I see that fight and I’m sure it’s going to be a good fight for our MMA fans and it’s an honor to face Frank in the co-main event at UFC 191 in Vegas.

 

Damon Martin: What does it say Andrei about you and Frank having the longevity to be relevant, be champions in 2004 and 2005 and here you are both back in the top ten in 2015. I mean, what does that say about the work you’ve put in and the career you have built to still be here ten years after you were first UFC champion?

 

Andrei Arlovski: Like I said, I’m really happy for Frank and I’m sure it’s going to be great fight. We are old school fighters and I’m sure we’re going to surprise lot of people.

 

Damon Martin: And a question for Demetrious, Demetrious I know there’s a lot of bad blood brewing between you and John Dodson. You have been able to take yourself out of being too emotional before any fight. But is there an extra level of emotion for a fight like this fighting John a second time knowing the rivalry that is there?

 

Demetrious Johnson: I wouldn’t call it bad blood or emotional. It’s almost like any other fight. Regardless if I win or lose, I keep it moving and go on to the next one. So that’s how I look at all my fights and that’s how I look at this one.

 

Damon Martin: Is there a sense of putting a guy like John behind? If you’re able to win September 5 that is two wins over him. Obviously there is we don’t see a third fight very often. I mean is there some sense of that, that if you beat him the second time you probably wouldn’t have to deal with him again?

 

Demetrious Johnson: I wouldn’t say that. I mean, I plan on being in the sport for a long time and I believe John Dodson will be in the sport for a long time as well. So I think our paths will cross again just like I believe my path will cross again with Joseph Benavidez whether I win this fight or not. We’re the top fighters in the world and we keep beating all the people who are below us, so I think our paths will cross again regardless of who is champ or not.

 

Damon Martin: Awesome, thank you.

 

Operator: We’ll take our next question from Jack Encarnacao with Boston Herald.

 

Jack Encarnacao: Thank you. Demetrious, would you say that John has been your toughest challenge as champion?

 

Demetrious Johnson: Yeah, definitely. When we first fought I got in trouble at the beginning of the fight and then I had to make a little adjustment and then finally wait until I get my hands on him. Then other than that, in the standup department, absolutely.

 

I fought, you want to look at my championship fights, you date back to Dominick Cruz, we’re fighting everywhere, on the feet and the man suplexed me twice. So, Dominick Cruz, that was a tough fight for me which I believe gave me the experience to be able to go and be successful at 125.

 

Jack Encarnacao: What was challenging in particular about the way John fought? It seemed early that closing the distance was a priority for you. You did find success when you were able to get the clinch but it seemed like getting in there was challenging at first for you.

 

Demetrious Johnson: Well, it’s an Octagon. You have two men are in it who are - who weigh 125-pounds and we’re both 5’3” and you’re in the 25-foot Octagon. You don’t get called for backing up, so if one person goes forward and the other person backs up it’s going to take a long time for that person to get the other person. And you look at the first fight, you see counter punches so he likes to use movement and wait for his opponent to over-extend which I end up doing in the first fight and eventually once he got tired and stopped running as much I was able to get my wrestling and clinch game and get to him, that’s what happened.

 

I always use the analogy if you have two cars, if two guys are going to fight you have to clash. And when clash happens, that’s when the clinch game starts and that’s when the wrestling starts, that’s when the jiu jitsu or even striking. At the beginning of the fight I was trying to get to him. I was going forward and he was going back. That’s why that happened.

 

Jack Encarnacao: John do you feel like you had any missed opportunities in that fight looking back on it?

 

John Dodson: Yes, I missed the opportunity knocking his head off. I messed up with a few shots that I missed on, but I dropped him and I should have capitalized on it. I can admit that Demetrious was a tough opponent, but he keeps continuously having that conditioning and championship level where he wants to get back up again every chance he gets. So my opportunity is just to capitalize on every mistake that he makes.

 

Jack Encarnacao: When you go back and watch that fight, what stands out to you?

 

John Dodson: I mean, I punched him in the face and he hit the ground.

 

Jack Encarnacao: When he hits the ground, okay. Just following up on your knock downs or your near knock downs?

 

John Dodson: Yes everyone saw me with a vicious intent or my killer instinct when I knocked out T.J. Dillashaw, Darrell Montague and everyone else I put down. I didn’t have to show that same type of intensity or level of killer instinct I guess Demetrious Johnson. I showed, I guess, I had way too much respect for him in that fight. And the one coming up I want to make sure that I see Demetrious just another fighter and not as the champion.

 

Jack Encarnacao: Thanks, a quick question for Frank. Frank can you tell us your earliest memory of Andrei Arlovski?

 

Frank Mir: I don’t know which one is the earliest one but I remember when I watched him fight Wesley Correira and I just remember being just overwhelmed how or just really impressed with how overwhelming he was, his offense, his footwork, his combinations. I just remember being so impressed. I think a lot of times we try to get the perspective that we’re all fighters and we have to fight each other but it was one of those few times where I personally was a fan, where I’m like wow, this is a very beautiful thing to watch, so impressive, so explosive, so fast. And, the fan in me also came out.

 

Jack Encarnacao: Did you think about ways that you could beat him even back then? Your style was a bit different back then and you would probably have approached it differently back then than today I would imagine.

 

Frank Mir: Yeah, no, I think Andrei poses a huge threat. Offensively he’s one of the best fighters in the UFC, his feet, his footwork, his movement, how hard he hits. People forget sometimes the guy is also an extremely technical grappler. The guy was a champion sambo player.

 

To go out there, you just can’t fall asleep on the fact that I mean his first fight in the UFC, he was armbar-ing people, submitting them, he even won the title with a foot lock after using phenomenal boxing and kickboxing and movements on his feet.

 

The guy really is a threat everywhere as far as exciting and to finish fights. You never have to worry about him being a fighter that is going to try to drag a fight out, lay on you and just look for a referee’s decision. The guy is super entertaining. I think it’s great to have him back and up climbing the ranks like he is now for the sport. I think it’s great for everybody.

 

Jack Encarnacao: Last one for me, Andrei we have seen Frank log a few knockouts recently. That certainly wasn’t the big threat he was presenting back when you were the champion. What do you think of his striking, what do you think of the knockouts he has been able to get? Are you impressed?

 

Andrei Arlovski: Like I mentioned before, I was so surprised and, like I said, he’s not only dangerous right now on the ground, he also has great boxing skills and he has broadened his stance in the last week or so, and proven that it was amazing. Yes it was impressive for me and I just need to keep in mind he can like a throw punches, he can throw combos and I just need to keep my hands up all the time.

 

Jack Encarnacao: Thank you.

 

Operator: We will go next to Mike Bohn with USA Today Sports.

 

Mike Bohn: Hi, for Demetrious and for John, you guys are both undefeated in rematches during your career. Can you talk about how you approach fighting an opponent for the second time whether it’s your mental approach, all those kind of things? Demetrious first and then for John.

 

Demetrious Johnson: For me we’re able to go back and look at the very first video of the fight we had with that person and even look at fights the person had after we fought and just go back and keep on training at being the best as you can for when you go out there and fight.

 

Other than that, you can see the success you had from the first fight but it doesn’t mean that it’s going to beat them the second time because as time goes on that person will and should get better as a fighter.

 

John Dodson: For me I have to think of it as different. It’s a different fighter every single time I come into a ring. It should be a brand new person like every single fight, as if it is a new opponent. He has new skills and assets, he’s more dangerous.

 

Mike Bohn: Awesome and then for Frank, Frank after your last fight, you’re on the two fight win streak now, you’re getting back into the groove of things. And, Andrei was - people are talking about him challenging for the title and all these things. Were you surprised when they gave you this matchup?

 

Frank Mir: Yes actually I was. I got the call just a few days after my fight. I was asked if I would contribute to the already great card coming out Labor Day Weekend. I was asked if, I would help the card overall. And so, I took it, I stepped up to the opportunity they presented me.

 

Mike Bohn: Yes and then another one for you. Between you and Andrei you have - including the fight coming up you’ll have 44 UFC fights which I believe is the most for any two opponents in UFC history. And you’re 1 and 2 in heavyweight appearances and wins and knockouts and everything.

 

Do you think this one kind of determines who is really the best heavyweight in the UFC of all time or what do you think this fight really means for your guys’ legacy?

 

Frank Mir: Well I think pretty much Andrei and I just represent the same thing so I really think there’s no losers on September 5. We’re both guys that, we’re champions, we’re at the top of the sport, we have worked our way up there, and we both had where people counted us out. I have read articles where they thought that Andrei was no longer had it. I read the same articles that said that I should retire and I should call it a night.

 

And here we’re back in the mix of things. Andrei is knocking on the door of a title fight, he’s ranked fourth in the world, I’m back in the top ten, retirement talks have definitely been I think silenced slightly now.

 

And so I think both of us represent that as long as you’re diligent and you train hard and you have heart behind what you’re doing, that success will come. You just have to keep marching forward regardless of what those around you are saying.

 

Mike Bohn: Yes and then lastly for you Frank, I mean, by the time this fight happens, you’ll have been in the UFC for over 5,000 days, I think the longest tenured fighter in the company without ever being cut or fighting in another promotion. Can you just talk about your run up to this point? I know you’ve had ups and downs and, you know, won titles and all that stuff.

 

Frank Mir: Well, I mean, I’ll go first. I think that it is just being diligent and just trying; going out there and just not accepting defeat. I mean Andrei has ran up against obstacles at one time.

 

When Andrei was the champ, he looked near unbeatable. He was one of those chameleon guys walking out to the Octagon hopping around, jumping, his striking, his boxing. He was really ahead of his game. Nobody in the heavyweight division had hands like him at that time. He kind of paved the way for more guys becoming better strikers, really learning boxing -- myself included. Going and trying to be diligent about how to be a better fighter on our feet.

 

I think that’s just what we represent is just, hitting hardship and just coming through it. I think a lot of people can relate to that in life where you hit adversity and things aren’t going well and you go out there and you keep trying. A lot of people, they feel that well I’m just going to call it a day and then sign off. And Andrei never took no for an answer and neither have I and we just kept out there fighting and pushing and put us back in the situation.

 

Mike Bohn: Awesome, thanks guys.

 

Operator: As a reminder it is Star 1 for questions. We’ll go next to Jeffrey Harris with 411Mania.

 

Jeffrey Harris: Greetings, thank you all for joining us today. Andrei, so this fight you’re ranked number four right now, Frank Mir is number ten. I mean, obviously this is a great heavyweight matchup but some people were suspecting you were in line for a title shot after being Travis Browne. Were you expecting maybe a bigger fight than Mir before you got offered this matchup?

 

Andrei Arlovski: Absolutely not. Of course I would love to fight for the title in the UFC, maybe in the next fight. But at the same time I want to make some money, and Frank Mir is not a joke. He is a very dangerous, very good fighter and also is going to be another big test for me.

 

Just like I mentioned before, it’s an honor for me to face Frank Mir in a big UFC event on September 5, 191, and I’m very excited. It doesn’t matter, I’m just like other heavyweights in line. So now I have to face Frank. For me, it’s like a title, I just need to be ready and show my skills.

 

Jeffrey Harris: And Andrei, Frank did mention that he was - he didn’t really want to fight you as much because you were friends and I guess there is an association with Team Jackson. Was that an issue at all when you had to think about taking this fight?

 

Andrei Arlovski: You know what, definitely it’s nothing personal, it definitely is business. Frank has to pay bills, I need to pay bills, that’s why it’s nothing personal, it’s just business. It’s just another fight for us. And I don’t know what to say, it’s just business.

 

Jeffrey Harris: Well Frank for you, is Andrei standing in the way of you getting back in the title mix and is he your ticket maybe at getting another title shot in the future?

 

Frank Mir: No, I look at every opportunity to go out there and fight. It’s just one step closer to the title. I don’t foresee that one particular fight is the fight that is going to skyrocket or make or break me. These guys are dangerous and I really don’t - there was an opportunity in my last several fights and part of my mental success is I just approach it that each fight is its own separate entity and that’s who I’m facing. You know, and Andrei is right, it is just business. That’s the next fight that they wanted me to go and fight.

 

And obviously, I had mentioned that I would rather have had more time. I thought that maybe this fight had so much history behind it that maybe a buildup would have been longer than six weeks would have been better for us. Or at the same time, I think both of us represent so many of the same great qualities of persevering through adversity, I would have liked it if one of us had the title and the other one came up and was the one to challenge so many years later.

 

I thought that when you write the story at the end of our lives that would have been a much more interesting read than just kind of hurried, rushed, just fight each other now, both of us right now at this point of our success.

 

Jeffrey Harris: And for the champion Demetrious, in the past John Dodson has claimed on the MMA Hour that whenever you get asked about fighting John Dodson again you’re super butt hurt about it. Are you butt hurt that you have to fight him again? Because he thinks he’s your toughest fight.

 

Demetrious Johnson: Absolutely not. I think a lot of people misconstrue that where everybody thinks they’re entitled to something in this sport. For example, Miesha Tate was guaranteed a title shot and then UFC came out and said no, Ronda Rousey if fighting Holly Holm sorry, and then Miesha Tate got butt hurt. So when Dodson was saying that “I’m next for a title shot” and I’m like “UFC ain’t called me about nothing yet. I have never heard your name come out of UFC’s mouth at all.”

 

So each time the UFC calls and says hey this is who you’re going to fight, I say “sounds good, sweet, when are we going to fight?” That’s where it came at. So that’s more in line of people saying that they’re entitled to things. Nobody is entitled to shit in this sport. When you get the call, that’s when you get the call.

 

Jeffrey Harris: Well for John, the last fight you had with Demetrious, I mean, you lost on the scorecard. I mean, it was 48-47 on two scorecards, 49-46 on one. What do you think you have to do this time to make sure you’re the winner? And I mean, I think you’re probably one of the few guys in the division that can maybe match Demetrious Johnson in terms of speed. I mean, is it an issue of speed or is it the wrestling? What do you think it is this time?

 

John Dodson: This time I’m not going to let it go to the judges. I’m going to go balls to the wall and I hope DJ is willing to do the same thing.

 

Jeffrey Harris: And when you’re thinking you’re going to win the title. Do you think you will make a better champion than Demetrious Johnson?

 

John Dodson: Of course, everyone likes my face anyway, they already say I’m the greatest of all time, so why not? They already forgot about DJ.

 

Jeffrey Harris: Thank you very much everyone.

 

John Dodson: No problem. You’re welcome.

 

Operator: And we’ll take our next question from Daniel Flynn with Breitbart Sports.

 

Daniel Flynn: A question for Frank and Andrei. Most of the heavyweights that you fought earlier in your careers, they’re either watching UFC at home or they don’t compete at the high level that they once did.

 

What is different about you guys? What did you do differently in your careers to be fighting at the co-main event of a UFC Pay-Per-View 15 years into your careers? What is different that you’ve done than these other guys who are not relevant anymore?

 

Frank Mir: Andrei?

 

Andrei Arlovski: For me, it was I think I became a smarter person in the fight. I choose what is more important for me and I have a second run in UFC. I’m sure it’s going to be better than the first one. I don’t ever think it’s impossible to be a champion again.

 

I just love what I’m doing right now and I feel great and I feel more - I still have fire in my eyes. I just really grateful and I’m really excited to be a part of this great event on September 5. It’s different than last time it was 10, 15 years ago. I still have that hope in my mind that I’m going to do this for my fans and just show that it’s not impossible to take a great competitor out on September 5.

 

Frank Mir: On my part, I feel that we keep showing up every day. Andrei has never called it quits; I have never called it quits. No matter what adversity we ran into, we just show up the next day at the gym and we look to make ourselves better fighters and better men. I think that’s why we’re still able to be here pushing forward and other guys decided to end the journey.

 

Daniel Flynn: A question for Demetrious, you compete as one of the most accomplished fighters in the UFC but the fan interest in your division isn’t what it is for some of the other divisions.

 

Do you think the fans, particularly now do you think the fans appreciate fighters who talk like a champion more than fighters who fight like a champion? And does this frustrate you as a guy who is consistently named one of the top pound-for-pound guys in the world that a lot of the fan attention is focused on other guys who maybe don’t have the resume that you have?

 

Demetrious Johnson: I try not to focus on that because at one point in time in my career it was like “oh he never he never finishes anybody.” The next thing you know I’m breaking people’s arms and making them tap out and knocking them out. And next thing you know it’s like oh “I don’t like his personality.” Okay well, if you don’t like who I am I can’t help you there, buddy.

 

So I try not to feed on that stuff because it only goes so far and when you start to worry about that stuff and you let it get it in your mind and you stop putting on great performances and writing your name in the history book where you win the latest submission victory UFC history.

 

I’m more focused on that and that is all that matters to me, is going out there and performing and showing that I’m a well-rounded fighter where I can strike, grapple, submit, clinch, anything. You go look in the encyclopedia, ask what fighter can do any type of martial arts at a high caliber level, my picture will show up.

 

Daniel Flynn: A question for John. Do you think if you become the flyweight champion the division would become more marketable with a guy who is seen as more charismatic, a bigger personality than perhaps Demetrious, in yourself?

 

John Dodson: Of course, because everyone wants to sit there and cheer for a character. We’re in the business of entertaining, not just being a good fighter. There are a million good fighters out there but they just don’t make it to this level.

 

Daniel Flynn: Thank you guys.

 

Operator: And we’ll take a follow-up question from Damon Martin with Fox Sports.

 

Damon Martin: A couple more for Demetrious. DJ, I know that getting reaction from fans is one thing but always getting admiration from other fighters is nice.

 

And I don’t know if you saw that recently Ronda Rousey had said that you are her favorite fighter to watch in the UFC. She said you’re the most well-rounded, and it feels like she’s watching Dragon Ball Z when she’s watching you fight. I’m just curious your reaction to knowing that someone like Ronda looks at you as her favorite fighter.

 

Demetrious Johnson: Well she’s very educated and I’ve got nothing but love for Ronda Rousey and that’s the thing. I have never walked across another fighter in the UFC from heavyweight all the way down to women’s strawweight, middleweight, other champions. I have always got great praises and I give it back to those guys as well.

 

So it’s only the fans and uneducated fools out there who say “oh you’re boring.” I’m like “okay, if you say so but you just don’t understand what I’m doing, you don’t understand the process and the technique that I bring to the table.” So I am in awe that Ronda Rousey speaks that highly of me and that’s awesome.

 

Damon Martin: And a follow-up to that, I know in the past, interviews, media, that’s just part of doing this and I know you’ve done an interview recently where you said that the guys at the UFC, said be yourself, say what you want to say, don’t be guarded.

 

Are you finding yourself kind of opening up a little bit more I mean, in terms of interviews just saying whatever is on your mind? I mean, obviously a lot of times, that’s what ends up getting the most attention is just being brutally honest.

 

Demetrious Johnson: Yes and the funny thing that you can’t make everybody in the world happy. People, I’ve seen comments about me being brutally honest and speaking my mind and somebody would say dude I just wish the person would shut the hell up. It’s a bad ass name and just show up at the bar and kick everybody’s ass. And see right there, there is another person who, you can make a cup of tea, he is either going to like it or that person is not.

 

So you can’t make everyone happy. Once you start trying to make everybody in the world happy and make the fans happy then you’re going to lose sight of which is more important which is being the best martial artist in the world.

 

Damon Martin: Do you think it would just be disingenuous if you all of the sudden tried to be Conor McGregor or tried to trash talk your opponents or tried to say that you’re the greatest in the world? I mean, do you think that would be even worse than if you just suddenly tried to start touting yourself that way? Do you think that would just be more disingenuous if you suddenly tried to become that kind of personality?

 

Demetrious Johnson: I think so, and Dana White has gone on the record as saying, when Anderson Silva first showed up to the UFC he wasn’t the star he was, it took somebody like Chael Sonnen to come by to make him to get noticed. The same thing with Chris Weidman. He really hasn’t taken off until his last fight where he beat Vitor Belfort.

 

I mean, Ronda Rousey. She is making her opponents look like stars. But people tune in to see Ronda Rousey skill set, how fast she is going to beat this person again. I read an article today she did 900,000 Pay-Per-View buys, that’s amazing for somebody who has had a short time in the sport.

 

Damon Martin: Yes and last question for you DJ, to that point, I was talking to Brian Stann and he actually made that comment about, he said he thinks that the key for you reaching that next level of stardom is to have your Chael Sonnen, to have that person to push you. And honestly no one really has pushed you that much outside of John Dodson and your first fight with him. I mean is John Dodson that person or do you feel like you still need that natural rival to push you to that next level?

 

Demetrious Johnson: It’s hard to think about. The question I come back to is that what happens after this, regardless of if I lose or if I win. What happens after this? And that’s what I’m always looking forward to is the future.

 

That’s what I’m always looking for, that spectacular performance and it might end up being John Dodson, people are still going to talk, people are still going to say “oh well.” When I knocked out Joseph Benavidez, one of the comments that made me laugh so hard was “yeah man, I sat there and watched Joseph Benavidez get knocked out by Demetrious Johnson and I just shrugged my shoulders and went out and bought a burrito.” Okay that’s good.

 

So like I said, I’m not focused on trying to get the fans’ notoriety and get them rallied behind me. If you want to see great martial arts, tune in when I fight. If you want to see drama and all that stuff, you guys go watch Bachelor in Paradise. They will give you enough drama you want to watch.

 

Damon Martin: And a question for Frank. Frank, because you have been in the UFC for so long but you also were around during the days when everyone said the Pride heavyweights were the best ever.

 

I’m curious now with where the heavyweight division is at right now with Fabricio as champion, Cain and yourself, and Andrei and all these other guys, is this the best the heavyweight division has ever been or is there another era that you would point to say that that’s when the heavyweight division was at its best?

 

Frank Mir: No I think this era right now is the best it has ever been. I think in the past, we’ve always had top level guys but I think it dwindled off after four or five. Right now, there’s guys that are 12th, 13th, 14th that are great fighters in the heavyweight division. So I think the top 10 right now is extremely stacked and I think it’s the most stacked it has ever been.

 

Damon Martin: And last question for you Frank, you are defined in many ways as the greatest heavyweight in UFC history. Obviously we know the conversation about Fedor Emelianenko maybe being the greatest heavyweight of all time but I’m curious.

 

As you get on this latest run, two wins in a row, two knockouts in a row, and you get ready to face Andrei Arlovski, maybe make another title run, are those things that matter to you, legacy, things like hearing greatest heavyweight of all time? Are those things that do matter to you?

 

Frank Mir: No, I mean, my wife and kids try to listen to it more than I do. Honestly, every time I hear it I just kind of - I think most guys that are at our level are extremely critical of ourselves so I think I have a hard time seeing myself in that light. And that’s probably one of the reasons why I’m still so diligent about being in the gym and training and pushing myself is I really don’t think I have accomplished near enough of what I want to.

 

Damon Martin: Awesome, thanks guys.

 

Operator: And we’ll take our next follow-up question from Jack Encarnacao with Boston Herald.

 

Jack Encarnacao: Thanks again. Demetrious I’m looking at the flyweight rankings. I see John’s name of course who you defeated and who you rematch. You have beaten Joseph Benavidez, Formiga is there but he has lost to both John and Joseph, Ian McCall who you’ve beaten, Moraga who you’ve beaten, Horiguchi who you’ve beaten, Lineker has trouble with weight. What do you think of the division? If you beat John in a rematch here do you feel like you’ve done your business at 125?

 

Demetrious Johnson: No, there are still a lot of guys I haven’t fought. I haven’t fought Sergio Pettis, I haven’t fought Henry Cejudo, I haven’t fought Ryan Benoit. Those are all great athletes.

 

Just because they’re not big star name like the other guys and they haven’t worked their way up there and had the chance to test their skill set against guys like Dodson or Benavidez or even McCall, it doesn’t mean they’re not a challenge or they’re not someone I’m looking forward to fighting.

 

Jack Encarnacao: What is your thought about ever doing 135 at this point in your career now?

 

Demetrious Johnson: At this point in my career it’s not even on my mind. I mean, I’m a small guy and right now I’m just focused on John Dodson. Once the time comes and I have broken the record and set goals, the goals that I want to make, then I’ll start thinking about going to 135.

 

Jack Encarnacao: So could you tell us quickly what those goals are roughly what you see?

 

Demetrious Johnson: Yes, obviously when I got in the sport this was a hobby for me and right now I’m going for my seventh title defense. The record is held right now by Anderson Silva, so if I could break that, that would be an awesome thing. And to be able to have the most finishes as a flyweight, with knockouts, submissions, and TKOs, that’s another goal.

 

And just being the most active flyweight. As a champion I’m a pretty active guy and not having injuries are all goals that I have set for myself.

 

And once I have done all that stuff and things get better for myself, and when Dana White and those guys approach me to go to 135 then we’ll make it happen. Don’t get it wrong, Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta, we had a talk already about going to 135 and we had discussions, but that’s really that’s where they stayed.

 

Jack Encarnacao: Okay thank you. Back to you Frank, what did you think of Fabricio Werdum’s victory over Cain Velasquez? What did it say about Cain, what did it say about Fabricio? Any thoughts on that?

 

Frank Mir: Cain is a warrior and I don’t think one fight really says anything about him. Really for Fabricio, it’s phenomenal.

 

The guy at one point the UFC had released him. He got back in the UFC. I think he has one of the longest win streaks right now for heavyweight division. And he comes back and battles his way up and wins the fights there, the heavyweight title not only by decision but by submission.

 

I think Fabricio is a phenomenal representative of his sport. He goes out there, he’s marketable, he pushes out there with the fans, he’s out there very accessible, and he’s a phenomenal warrior. And he has added to his abilities. He’s not a one trick pony. People out there really respect that he’s one of the best jiu jitsu guys in the world, but on top of that he really has added a really great standup game and people underestimate that guy.

 

Jack Encarnacao: Considering how soundly the fight was ended and went, do you think it was the right call to give Cain an immediate rematch?

 

Frank Mir: I thought that it mixed up the division by having him take over as the champion. I actually thought Andrei was actually going to get the title shot. I thought that was extremely interesting. But for Cain to get the immediate rematch, the guy is a great champion so I guess give him that opportunity.

 

And a lot of people want to put in that the oxygen was very thin there. I don’t know, I wasn’t in Cain’s training camp. I don’t know how much that really attributed to it. I know that Fabricio was fighting in the same oxygen. And so I think that Fabricio just really had a great night and, it really pushed the pace of fight where Cain started taking bad shots and that’s what led him into the submissions.

 

Jack Encarnacao: And finally Andrei, your thoughts on Fabricio’s performance over Cain and whether you feel like giving Cain the rematch was a sensible move by the UFC.

 

Andrei Arlovski: I have no comments about Fabricio Werdum. I was disappointed. I thought Cain was going to beat him. But, the fact that when you have a new champion in Fabricio Werdum and hopefully one day I’m going to fight him again.

 

Jack Encarnacao: Thank you.

 

Operator: That concludes the question and answer portion. I’d like to turn the call over to Mr. Costello for any additional or closing remarks.

 

Chris Costello: Thanks. I’d like to thank everybody again for joining us on today’s call. UFC 191 Fight Week activities will include Ultimate Media Day next Thursday at MGM as well as the Go Big launch event on Friday at MGM just prior to weigh-ins. Have a great weekend everyone and we’ll see you next week here in Las Vegas. Thank you.

 

Operator: That does conclude today’s conference. Thank you for your participation.

 

 

END

Catch UFC 191 that will be telecasted Live on SONY KIX, SONY SIX HD & SONY SIX, Sunday, 6th September 2015, at 7.30am