Weidman, Silva Break Down UFC 162 Fight on 'UFC Tonight'
On this week's UFC TONIGHT, Chael Sonnen and Kenny Florian break down this weekend's UFC 162: SILVA VS. WEIDMAN, and conduct exclusive interviews with the champion Anderson Silva and No. 1 contender Chris Weidman. Insider Ariel Helwani provides updates on Vitor Belfort, Gegard Mousasi, Michael Bisping and more.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Chris Weidman on if he's going to beat Anderson Silva: "I will beat Anderson Silva on Saturday, and I'm going for the finish. I have a hard time visualizing this fight going the full five rounds, with all due respect."
Weidman on if he's envisioned winning the fight: "I've envisioned it. With any goal you've had, you have to live it. I've been living with the belt around me already. I just have to make it happen on Saturday."
Anderson Silva on how he feels going into the fight: "I'm very excited for this fight."
Silva on how he feels that so many fighters have been picking Weidman to win. "This is good because it's very important for people to talk, talk, talk and the fans watch the fight. The fans watch Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva. Weidman has fans, I have fans."
Silva on who's going to win: "I don't know. It's a great fight Saturday night. Weidman has good jiu-jitsu, great wrestling, and good stand up. It's a great fight."
Silva on when he's going to retire: "I don't know, maybe in ten more years."
UFC TONIGHT's Chael Sonnen on if Silva wins: "Anderson Silva may be the greatest of all time. If he wins this fight, that argument ends. He is the greatest of all time."
UFC TONIGHT's Kenny Florian on how Weidman can win the fight: "Weidman can legitimately win this fight. If you look at his style and the problems he can present to Anderson. He's not only a wrestler, but he can strike, as Mark Munoz found out. If he gets you on the ground, he has some lovely attacks with his D'arce choke and his guillotine choke. He sets it up as his opponent tries to get back to his guard and back to his feet."
Sonnen on fighting Anderson Silva: "I had over 30 good, positive minutes in there with Anderson Silva. But the one thing I found out the hard way is you cannot take your eye off the ball. You cannot relax. He's too dangerous. He has so many tricks in the bag. He can catch you at any time. Chris Weidman, above all else, just needs to stay focused, stay in the moment, stay in position, and take it one second, one minute and one round at a time."
Florian on Silva's keys to the fight: "The key is his lateral movement. He needs to circle away from that pressure like he did against Okami. He's going to have to use his classic faints and fakes and Chris Weidman needs to be careful going forward. Anderson has used the cage so well, which allows him to prevent the takedowns. You give Anderson Silva one opening and he can take advantage of it. He's able to create something out of nothing."
Sonnen on Weidman's keys to victory over Silva: "If Weidman wants to have success, he needs to use pressure. He needs to come forward, close the distance and get his hands on him. He drags his opponents down for as many minutes and as many rounds as they're in there. When he goes for takedowns, he always hides them with punches first. He's good with ground and pound, he's able to pass the guard and he's able to look for those submissions."
Florian's pick for UFC 162: "I'm going with Chris Weidman."
Sonnen's pick for UFC 162: "Chris Weidman is going to win and he's going to stop him."
UFC TONIGHT Insider Ariel Helwani on Vitor Belfort vs. Gegard Mousasi: Gegard Mousasi wants to fight Vitor Belfort next. But Belfort says he doesn't deserve the fight. Mousasi's team feels like Belfort is being a hypocrite because Vitor got a title shot without ever winning in the UFC as a 185 pounder. Vitor wants to fight the winner between Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva."
Helwani on Michael Bisping fighting on the upcoming card in Manchester, England: "Bisping is shooting for a return around October, and the UFC is going to Manchester later this year. Bisping wants to fight on that card. He was hoping to fight Cung Le, but that's not going to happen, so team Bisping wants to fight Costa Philippou. Costa's management loves this fight."
Helwani on Rashad Evans moving down to 185: "Rashad Evans told me if UFC offered him a compelling fight at 185, he'd go down. But he still considers himself a light heavyweight, and still wants to fight Jon Jones at some point."
Helwani on Luke Rockhold's return: "Luke Rockhold is a month or so away from training, and has set his sights on Alan Belcher."
